A member of the Kwara State House of Assembly (KSHA,) Ogbeni Seun Ogunniyi, has pleaded with the Nigerian media and controlling agencies, to as a matter of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), discourage the abuse of hard drugs by celebrities.
He argued that it is only by this that the illegal substances could be reduced among the youths, who often see the abusers (celebrities) as their role models.
Speaking in Ilorin, yesterday, the lawmaker from Ojomu/Balogun State Constituency in Offa Local Council said he was troubled and concerned that “Kwara presently occupies prominent position among the number of states that consume banned substances in the World Health Organisation (WHO) survey.”
He lamented that there was a huge connection between crimes and hard drug intake as only effective control of the menace can reduce the crime and general insecurity bedevilling the country.
According to him, “Drug abuse has a lot of youths followership. It is just the best step for our media houses to ban drug abuse promotion to be able to secure the future of our youths. “
“A holistic approach to drug abuse check requires a multifaceted moves including engaging all stakeholders.
“Though, the drug law is under the National Assembly, that has not foreclosed that the states cannot fortify their drug control mechanisms,” he advocated.
He charged the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and other media controlling agencies “to rise with renewed vigour and check undue promotion of hard drug abuse,” he urged.
However, his call was sequel to the call by KSHA for a lasting solution to the promotion of open consumption of illegal substances on social media in Nigeria.
A Motion on Notice: “Urgent Need for Censorship and Safety Regulation Against Contents Promoting Consumption Illegal Drugs and Substances on Social Media as broadcast media” by Miss Rukayat Shittu (APC/Owode-Onire) earlier frowned that notable Nigerian celebrities in the entertainment industry including Big Brothers Naija participants openly consume illicit substances.
Her colleagues called for regulation of music, movie and skits contents, urging the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to prohibit open consumption of hard drugs in entertainment and general media content in the country to reverse the ugly trend.
Reading the resolutions of the House, the Speaker, Yakubu Danladi-Salihu (APC/Ilesha/Gwanara) charged the executive to direct Special Assistant to the Governor on Drug Abuse Prevention and Control to collaborate with the state Command of NDLEA.
The lawmakers said they should partner on advocacy programme on the danger inherent in drug consumption to reduce hard drugs to its lowest ebb.
