By Eric Elezuo

Delta State born Anti-drug Advocate and Founder, Silec Initiatives, Amb. Sunny Irakpo, has sent a hearty congratulatory message to the newly sworn in governor of Delta State, Hon Sheriff Oborevwori, urging the governor to pay adequate attention to the fight against drug abuse among the youths while seeking partnership and support to continue to propagate the Delta Beyond Drugs campaign.

In the message, the US exchange alumnus, hailed the new governor for the overwhelming reception that heralded his election victory, and the swearing in ceremony that followed, describing the excitement and ovation in the air as “electrifying”. He maintained that “Deltans, home and abroad, felicitate with you as you assumed the number one position and wish you all the best in your tenure.”

Irakpo reminded that governor that his position is a call to duty as the task ahead demands assiduous efforts to fulfill the MORE Agenda of his government to the good people of Delta State while urging him to see youth welfare as the centre piece of his administration.

“As a lover of youths, we know that your administration will take the centre stage to address the social issues that affects young people which includes drug abuse, unemployment, lack of youth inclusiveness in governance, foster leadership and capacity building and opportunity for a robust engagement with the youths and critical stakeholders in order to achieve meaningful socio-economic development.

“Your Excellency, the issue of drug abuse has become so prevalent in the state that for the past decade, Delta State has been in the news, where some of her indigenes have been arrested as drug traffickers and barons inflicting lots of harm in the lives of the youths and damaging the good image of the state.

“The availability of these drugs has triggered in the youths an unlawful quest for consumption of one form of hard drugs or another thereby increasing social vices such as criminality, prostitution and cyber crime,” he said.

The anti-drug advocate also found space to commend the immediate past governor, Senator Ifeanyi Okowa for some of his social intervention policies under his SMART Agenda and for engaging youth in skills acquisition and entrepreneurship programmes. He urged the new governor to sustain the programmes to continue to arrest social ills.

Speaking on the Delta Beyond Drugs Campaign Project, Irakpo said it is for the wellbeing of the state and to attract foreign investment and make youths to add their quota to the development of the state.

“Over the years, Silec Initiatives as one of the leading anti-drug agencies in the country is passionately driving this message home with massive sensitization and drug prevention programs to assist the government in the fight against drug abuse. We are urging the governor to make a proclamation against drugs and substance abuse currently destroying the lives of promising youths”, adding that “as a pragmatic non-governmental organization, we shall continue to lead the campaign across the nooks and crannies of the 25 LGAs of the state for the rate at which our youths consume these drugs without medical prescription has led to behavioural, cognitive and psychological dysfunction of their brains in recent times.”

He also frowned at the rate women are also getting involved in drugs, citing the case of Bridget Emeka aka Mama, who was arrested on May 17, 2022 for the production of methamphetamine. He noted that according to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) as at 2018 revealed that 1 out of every 4 drug users is a woman. So where does the wellbeing and sanity of our homes lie? He queried.

“My recent tour to Delta has fueled my passion to address this challenge that is confronting the state because on a regular basis seeing youths experimenting different types of hard drugs to get ‘high’ without considering even the health implication is extremely worrisome.

“The commercialization of hard drugs like Colorado (colos), tramadol, codeine, refnol, swinol, pentatozine, Canadian loud, cannabis (marijuana), cocaine, heroin and other substances in clubs and public space, the state under your leadership should clamp down on drug merchants in order to drastically reduce these hazardous threats to our existence.

“The consumption of drugs in secondary schools is also what we are bringing to the front burner. It was identified that secondary school students in the country abuse over 15 different types of hard drugs. Our tertiary institutions have become profitable markets for the sales of drugs. Most students cannot do without drugs, and the irony is that they are replacing foods for drugs. This is most pitiable.

“Delta State remains one of the richest states in Nigeria, our strength is in our youths, it is so troubling seeing the lives of our productive work force and greatest resource being wasted. Your Excellency, as one of the United States Government Sponsored Exchange Alumni, invited and trained in this regards, we shall deploy all our technical know-how to bring the best in our youths.

“We cannot fold our arms and watch the drug market grow exponentially while other productive sectors are nosediving. As we have taken it upon ourselves to prevent our people from poor life through community education, grassroot mobilization, peer-to-peer sensitization, awareness creation through concert, seminars and town hall meetings,” he informed the governor.

Irakpo used the opportunity to inform the governor of a Silec Initiatives programme in partnership with the Anglican Diocese of Oleh Church of Nigeria under the Episcopal Leadership of His Lordship The Rt Rev’d John Usiwoma Aruakpor in commemoration of the United Nations International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking this Saturday.

He therefore called on the needed support from the government and the governor, who was a one-time parliamentarian, representing Okpe Constituency in the Delta State House of Assembly, known for being a listening leader.

“We believe so much in you, and that you will work with NGOs, civil society groups and other well-meaning Deltans to fight the scourge of drug abuse head long,” Irakpo concluded.