A nongovernmental organisation, Come Alive Initiative, says it has started partnering with South-East traditional rulers to rid the zone of hard drugs, mostly used by youths.
The NGO’s National Co-ordinator, Mr. Victor Enwezor, said on Wednesday, in Enugu, that the organisation was currently repositioning and re-focusing its operations.
He explained that the NGO was now focusing on massive sensitisation to stop the use of hard drugs, drug peddling, trafficking and cultivation.
He said “there is the urgent need to rehabilitate drug addicts.
“As an NGO, we are worried about the number of Nigerians in jails in Asia, Europe and America. Sadly, a good number of them are from the South East.
“It is a shame but we want to try and change the value system of our young people for good.
“People need to know that drug peddling or trafficking is against the law and does nobody any good.
“The image of the country is being affected internationally while human resources are wasted in large numbers.”
The co-ordinator said that within the programme plan for the partnership, the NGO would meet with all first class monarchs in the zone.
According to him, the group is already partnering with the Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Nnaemeka Achebe, who has been very supportive and provided a venue – Ime Obi – for some of the sensitisation programmes.
He added that “at this point, we intend to partner with other monarchs, especially first class monarchs, religious organisations, schools and the rest of them.
“We are trying to use Onitsha, Anambra as the pilot; before we extend our programme to other parts of the zone and other parts of the country.” (NAN)