Delta Government Identifies Lack Of Parental Care, Others As Causes Of Drug Abuse

Delta State government has identified acute absence of parental care and love in modern family-setting, “where there are working class parents and decreased ancient religious and moral values lead to an increase in the number of drug addicts who administer drugs to escape the hard reality of life” as causes why children and youth indulges in drug abuse.

The state government also acknowledged the use of drug in a consistent pattern beyond what is recommended as grounds of drug abuse.

The state governor, Ifeanyi Okowa, stated this Tuesday during this year’s United Nations Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking with theme: “Listening to children and youth is the first step to help them grow healthy and safe”, held at the conference hall of the Olorogun Felix Ibru Secretariat in conjunction the Delta State Drug Control Committee.

The governor who was represented by the state Commissioner of Health, Dr. Mordi Onnonye, hinted that drug abuse has many dangers which include physical and physiological addiction, change in the brain chemistry function and death.

Mrs. Kate Ekonye, who stood in the shoes of the Commissioner, said advocacy visits have been carried out to different agencies, train the trainer programme for teachers in various schools across the three senatorial districts has been conducted, revealing the drug-free-clubs have been inaugurated in six schools to further spread the awareness.

According to him, “the theme is a wakeup call to parents and guardians reminding them of their statutory duty to their wards. It is one of the drug demand reduction strategies used to discourage the youth from drug abuse, which is counseling. It works effectively on youth that are yet to experiment with drugs”.

While noting that as children are growing up, they tend to be curious about life and always ask questions, he charged parents to endeavor to be available and enlighten and also see themselves as role models as they as their closet and first contacts.

“Parents should bear in mind that it is their duty to train their children the way to go in life”, urging parents to educate their children on the dangers of drug abuse and trafficking and encourage them to join the drug-free-clubs in school.