…Seeks govt intervention
By Jet Stanley Madu
Mr. Eustace Eberechukwukamma Njoku has since 2003, made giant strides in partnering with schools and relevant agencies such as the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), to transform the lives of youths and students in Lagos. He had organized series of life-changing workshops and seminars as strategies to reach his targets. The awareness campaign programmes are said to be directed against drug abuse, juvenile delinquencies as well as violent crimes, including rape.
Through his Foundation, Prince Dickson Savechild Life Foundation (PDSLF) a non-governmental organization (NGO), Njoku has directed his focus on fostering a better society through shaping and nurturing youths towards achieving their goals in life and a better future.
Announcing his plans towards the 2017 PDSLF programme recently, he explained that the awareness campaign is aimed at discouraging drug abuse and crime, HIV/AIDS and other related vices. “It is designed to educate youths on the dangers associated with illicit drugs and the neeed to stamp out these vices from secondary schools especially,” he said.
The campaign, he added, is also aimed at discouraging crime and other related vices like prostitution, violent crimes, rape and pre-marital sex, which, in most cases, give rise to unwanted pregnancy and abortion. “We also, address unemployment among youths.”
He revealed that last year’s edition which was low-keyed covered 30 secondary schools. “We discovered that there are 39 secondary schools in Ajeromi We intend to cover 40 secondary schools in Ajeromi and Amuwo,” he said. “So, this edition will be big and we’re involving the Lagos State government and need their approval and support.”
Explaining the NGO’s mode of operation, he said: “We have three categories of youths that we deal with. The first category is between age 10 and 15. That’s the developmental age and risk group. The second category falls between ages 15 and 18, which are the high-risk or experimental group. And the last group is 18 and above and that is the reproductive group.”
He explained that much focus is placed on the first two groups which incidentally are students in secondary school, “as a way of preventive strategy. The idea is to catch them young.” The NGO runs programmes for out-of-school youths. Apart from giving them lectures, he said, they are positively engaged in fruitful ventures to keep them from being lured into trouble. “The first two groups are more engaged because at that level peer groups may lead them into vices”, Njoku explained.
He noted that PDSLF in its 2013 premier programme held in collaboration with NAFDAC and the Lagos State Ministry of Education recorded huge success, adding also that subsequent ones were quite impacting.
Prior to the planned programme, the Foundation had received recommendation letter from the Ajeromi Ifelodun Local Government. The letter dated, May 5, 2017 and signed by the Head of Administration, attested to PDSLF activeness in the council area and the impact of its activities. The foundation had in two separate letters, dated April 5, 2017 and May 16, 2017, written for approval and collaboration with the Lagos State Ministry of Education
He cited the gains the foundation had recorded in transforming Ajegunle. “We brought our awareness campaign to Ajegunle at the time people were running away from Ajegunle. In fact, I thank God for NAFDAC who stood behind us, and the Police Force especially, the Ajeromi Police Division. Today, we give ourselves kudos because crime and other juvenile delinquencies have been reduced to the barest minimum,” he enthused.
Njoku was optimistic that with more collaborations and adequate funds, the initiative could be taken from Ajeromi Ifelodun to schools and colleges nationwide. “This initiative is capital-intensive but, we are limited by funds,” he said. “We are only aided by public-spirited individuals. As soon as we receive the necessary support, especially in funding, we will ensure the programme spreads nation-wide.”