7th Annual Ikeja Constituency II Townhall Meeting: Hon. Richard Kasumu, Guest Speakers And Stakeholders Emphasised The Need To Urgently Address Increasing Rate Of Drug Abuse in Nigeria
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- Stakeholders, youths and student representatives present at the meeting extols the initiative of the Lagos legislators; demands for more efforts in the fight against indiscriminate substance use and abuse
- The lawmaker hints that Lagos Assembly will pass laws to combat increasing rate of drug abuse in the state
He further asserted that the choice of the theme of this year's event was to focus more on charting a communal solution towards preventing the devastating effects of drug abuse on the health of citizens and on the growth and progress of Lagos State and the country at large. According to the lawmaker, the Lagos State House of Assembly has been at the forefront of the fight against drug abuse through various legislations stating that the House under the leadership of Rt. Hon. Mudashiru Obasa has continued to be proactive in the consideration of viable laws and policies that would enhance youth potentials and development.
“Some of the recent laws that are passed attest to government’s efforts on youth development and as a youth myself, I'd contributed immensely towards youth development during my first term as your representative when I served as chairman, House Committee on Youth & Social Development and the only first-term lawmaker in the 8th assembly of the state to sponsor two executive bills that were passed into law. These bills were passed into law for the establishment of Lagos State Sports Commission and Lagos State Sports Trust Fund (LSTF) in year 2015. As a member of the 9th assembly, I have also contributed immensely towards amendment of the Lagos State Sports Commission law of 2015 to further promote youth and sports development in Lagos and for connected purposes” the lawmaker avowed.
Kasumu also stated that “The law when amended will also ensure that youths are provided with great opportunities not only in the area of recreation but where they can nurture, explore and utilise their potentials in sporting activities to become professional sportsmen and women. This would also take the minds of many of them off drug abuse and criminal activities”.
He listed other youth-oriented bills under consideration by the House to include two recent Bills for a Law to Provide for the establishment of the University of Education, Lagos and another for the establishment of the State University of Science and Technology, which aims to address the inadequacies in polytechnic education system in Nigeria. While the passage of the Lagos Neighbourhood Safety Corps is aimed at ensuring the safety of all in our neighbourhood, the prevalence of drug abuse amongst young adults and adolescents, if not immediately addressed and effectively curbed, will jeopardise the entire efforts of the House in the establishment of a safe, peaceful, and liveable society.
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| Kasumu addressing the audience at the meeting |
“Consequently, the Lagos lawmakers jointly call on all stakeholders, residents, parents, teachers, students, school proprietors, religious organisations, opinion leaders, celebrities, social media influencers, professional bodies, the academia, civil society organisations and community and traditional leaders to work in concert with the government for the common good of our society by saying ‘no to drug abuse trafficking” he said. The legislator however debunked the administrative error off omission committed in the brochure printed by the Assembly Service Commission bothering on the constituency project recorded as nil in the printout. He promised to relate it to the appropriate quarters for amendments where necessary.
In his address at the event, the chairman of the occasion who also doubles as the party chairman of Ikeja Local Government Area, Alhaji Adekunle Dally-Adeokun lamented that “drug abuse had become so alarming such that if we continue in this manner and fail to salvage the situation, in no distant future, there would be an increase in the population of persons with drug abuse-induced health problems,” he warned.
Guest lecturers who spoke at the event sited Rtd Col. Buba Marwa, chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), recommended tests for public office holders, intending couples and admission seekers. Dignitaries and stakeholders present at the meeting commended the lawmaker for the various projects he had attracted to Ikeja constituency 2. They also emphasised the need to effectively curb drug abuse by organising a step down campaign against drug abuse at their various constituencies.
The roll call of dignitaries and stakeholders - in clusters – present at the town hall meeting includes:
• The Council Chairman of Ojodu LCDA, Hon. Segun Odunmbaku;
• The Leader of Ojodu LCDA Legislative Arm, Hon. Opeyemi Apatira;
• The ten councillors in Ikeja II State Constituency;
• APC party chairmen in Ikeja LGA and Ojodu LCDA, Alhaji Adekunle Dally-Adeokun and Hon. Kayode Ajakaye respectively;
• Party bigwigs and top leaders;
• Traditional Rulers in the constituency led by Oba Aguda and Council-of-Baales
• Market traders and women led by Mrs Salako (Lady K) - Iyaloja Ojodu and Mrs Idiat Apena - Iyaloja Ikeja
• Community Development Association leaders in the constituency
• Ward Chairmen of the All Progressives Congress party from Ikeja LGA and Ojodu LCDA
• Youth and women Leaders of the party
• Religious and opinion leaders
• Students from primary and secondary schools in Ojodu LCDA and Ikeja LGA were also present at the well attended townhall meeting organized for grassroots mobilization against substance use and abuse.