Maria Edekor Seeks Collaboration With Red Cross Society To Curb Drug Abuse
By Simeon OSAJIE
Deputy Speaker of the Edo State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Maria Edekor has expressed resolve in collaborating with the Nigerian Red Cross Society in completely ride off every parts of the state the menace of drug trafficking and its abuse amongst youths.
Edekor made the disclosure on Tuesday 9th Jujy, 2024 when she received executive members of the Edo State chapter of the Nigerian Red Cross Society in her office in Benin City the state capital.
Speaking on the harmful impact that drug trafficking and drug abuse has had on youths in the state, the deputy speaker disclosed that substance abuse through illicit use of hard drugs in various forms have found its way into every nooks and crannies of the society through some women selling herbal concoction reffered to as “Agbo”.
According to her, every woman on the street with a container bearing different herbal mixtures and concoctions are the agents and distributors of these hard drugs which are prevalent everywhere in the society.
“Today we are having vulnerable persons that are victims of drugs that is a new plague because our community is being destroyed by drugs.
“I believe it is within the exclusive list in our constitution but my believe is that the issue of drug abuse should be on the concurrent list because the people consuming drugs are within our community.
“I have had collaborative partnership with NAFDAC and NDLEA in taking the campaign against drug abuse to schools, churches and market places. When I was in FIDA in one of our weeks I delivered a paper on “Drug Trafficking and Drug Abuse, A Tragedy For Our Community.”
“But maybe because as a university lecturer, I was able to see the tragedy associated with drug abuse that nobody could see but today drugs is being sold in every nooks and crannies of our society.”
Barr. Edekor said that 60% of our youths would test positive if we subject our youths to drug tests including parents adding that some women carrying basins selling herbal concoction are not selling “Agbo” but are selling drugs to our youths.
“For me, I would be comfortable if the NDLEA can buy those basins from the Agbo sellers hawking these drugs and take them for laboratory analysis because even at night around 1am you still see these “Agbo” sellers displaying them. Who takes Agbo at 1am or 2am, if it is not drugs they are distributing.
“I am willing to join in your campaign and sensitization against drugs trafficking and drug abuse in our society because presently we have an humanitarian crisis staring at us in the face,” she noted.
Earlier, the State Chairman Nigeria Red Cross Society, Monday Edogiawerie disclosed that as part of activities lined up for the forthcoming First Aod, Disaster Management and Leadership Training Camp for 500 participants holding in Benin City on August 25th to 31st, the state would decorate Rt. Hon. Maria Edekor as an associate member.
Also the chairman added that the Nigerian Red Cross Society Edo State chapter in its humanitarian capacity distributed livelihood support to over 300 beneficiaries to cushion the effect of Covid-19 as well as other activities in emergency response during disaster, public health education, restoring family links and prison sanitation programme.
