NGO cautions students against drug abuse
An NGO, Advocacy for Positive Behavioural Patterns Initiative (APBPI), in Abuja, has cautioned students on drug abuse saying doing so could ruin their lives.
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Mrs Lilian Omoyemi-Mann, the Project Coordinator, APBPI, gave the advice, at a dialogue organised for students of Government Secondary School Tudun Wada, Abuja.
The programme was supported by Vento International Trading Ltd, a furniture company, the theme of the programme is: “Dialogue on substance use and truancy; Consolidating global standards of behavior for better outcomes.”
Omoyemi-Mann encouraged the students to embrace positive behavior in order to be a prominent figure of the society.
Mr Femi Babafemi, Director of Media and Advocacy, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), also advised the students to desist from drug abuse and truancy.
According to him, “Drug abuse doesn’t just affect the individual but also the parents, community and the country at large, adding that student must avoid it.”
Babafemi decried the activities of celebrities whom some of the students consider role models, involves themselves in drug abuse.
He said that some of the celebrities embraced the use of drug especially to advance their careers with the wrong impression that it fashionable and attractive to the youths.
“You will find such youths in chartrooms on social media discussing freely the use of illicit substances using the expression get high.
“Such youths have liberal view about marijuana, colorado, meth and psychoactive mixtures such as ‘skuchies,” he said.
According to him, NDLEA is on aggressive public enlightenment by taking the message against drug abuse to schools, churches, mosques, and communities.
Mrs Azeezat Lawanson, an official of Vento International Trading Ltd, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), unit highlighted a significant shift in reward system in the nation’s schools.
According to her, rather than only rewarding intelligence and academic performance, the focus has now been shifted to acknowledging good behavior.
She listed some of the criteria used in evaluating students as attitude, punctuality, outward appearance, and other criteria, while also encouraging the students to activate good behavior throughout their life time.
Lawson explained that the new approach was aimed at encouraging positive conduct and overall development, beyond academic activities and achievements of students.
Mr Abubakar Umar, the Public Relations Officer, Nigerian Correctional Service, also highlighted the primary obstacle to fostering positive behaviour on students.
Umar, an Assistant Controller of Correction, said poor parenting was one of the factors that have exacerbated substance abuse in the Nigeria country.
