From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
A Kaduna based group under the auspices of Greater Heights Awareness Initiative (GHAI) has called on the newly appointed Director-General of the National Drugs and Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA), General Mohammed Buba Marwa (Rtd) to tackle without further delay drugs scourge in the country.
In a statement by the National Chairman of the group, Ibrahim Lapinni however said that with the track records and working experiences of the NDLEA Boss, the country will soon be free of illicit drugs.
“The appointment of Marwa as NDLEA Boss is coming at a time when the threats of drugs scourge in the nation is all time high and the needs to urgently address it is pressing, is no doubt, appropriate, timely, strategic and morale-boosting as this will go a long way to reposition the agency for responsiveness and restore the waning confidence of Nigerians in the agency.
“It will also go a long way to boost the morale of the staff to collectively work and cooperate with the lofty vision of General Marwa to ensure and assure a drug-free Nigeria.
“The challenges of drug and substance abuse is all time high and poses great threats to the much-desired moral rebirth and national security.
“Drugs and substance abuse destroys family, warts vision, undermines productivity and national integration. The earlier the scourge is addressed the better for our nation.
“The NDLEA saddled with the task of arresting the scourge is inundated with series of challenges, such as inadequate funding, manpower training, low staff morale and the increasing ferocity of drug barons and underdogs.
“General Mohammed Buba Marwa is eminently qualified to address these challenges of drug scourge, with the support of Mr President and all Nigerians.
“His credible and pragmatic leadership antecedent, his robust military strategy and experiences and his diplomatic credential will be handy to handle this onerous task.
“Also, his credential of service delivery as military administrator of both Lagos and Borno state, will no doubt be brought to bear in the new assignment of tackling drug scourge in the nation.
“We commend President Muhammadu Buhari for making a fitting and right choice in the new administrator.
“We urge General Marwa to without delay use the new assignment to prove his pragmatic leadership. We call on him to ensure effective partnership with all relevant stakeholders to make the fight holistic and effective.
“We call on Gen Marwa to engage the media practitioners, particularly Journalist to drive home the core message of his vision and campaigns.
“We call of Federal government to without delay improve funding of the agency, provide adequate training for its staff, enhance their welfare to prevent compromise and implement policy that will boost its global collaborations and initiate funding support from international partners, for effective anti-drug campaigns in Nigeria”. The statement said.