The Chairman/ Chief Executive, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Col. Muhammad Mustapha Abdallah (rtd.), Thursday unveiled Ugochi Onuoha (a.k.a Guchi) as the new Anti-Drug Ambassador of the agency.
Addressing newsmen at the event in Abuja, Abdallah said that youth involvement in drug control is cardinal, since the youth constitute the most vulnerable group to drug abuse.
He revealed that, in the next two years, Guchi will work closely with the NDLEA and other stakeholders to draw attention to its overall priorities of addressing the drug issue affecting the lives of people and well-being, even as he implored the general public for partnership.
He said: “I am happy to see a young person taking ownership of the global effort to disentangle mankind, especially the youth population from the shackles of drug abuse and illicit drug trafficking. When the idea of an anti-drug ambassador was conceived, I did not hesitate to give instant approval
because it is a clear indication that the idea of drug control, as a shared responsibility which we have been canvassing over the years, has crystalized.
“Today’s event is a milestone. I have no doubt that it will go a long way in redefining our drug control efforts. It certainly will help in addressing the
gap of lack of active involvement of our youths in the programs and activities aimed at deescalating the scourge of drug abuse and illicit trafficking. Youth involvement in drug control is cardinal since the youth constitute the most vulnerable group to drug abuse.”
He added: “Ambassadors are well-known personalities from the worlds of arts, literature, entertainment, sport or other fields of public life who commit to contribute to efforts to raise awareness of important health problems and solutions. In the next two years, our dear Guchi will work closely with NDLEA and other stakeholders to draw attention to its overall priorities of addressing the drug issue affecting the lives of our people and well-being.
“As NDLEA ant-drug Ambassador, you are expected to serve as the face of NDLEA to help drive anti-drug sensitization and public awareness through advocacy and mobilization of relevant stakeholders. This initiative which should send a strong signal to the drug control community that everybody has a role to play in the drug control chain. The space is quite wide for every stakeholder to function without hindrance.”
