Ogun First Lady: Parents, protect your children against Drug Abuse

The wife of Ogun State Governor, Mrs. Bamidele Abiodun, reproved parents to be sensitive to changes in their children’s behavior, to prevent any potential exposure to drugs and other harmful substances.

In a statement made available yesterday by the Office of the First Lady, Press Officer,Kemi Oyeleye, the first lady gave the reproving during the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop organized for members of the Ogun State Drug Control Committee, in Ibara, Abeokuta, the state capital, noting that the role of parents and guardians at sensitizing their children and wards on the dangers inherent in illicit drug use could not be overemphasized.

She said one of the ways to curb the menace was to get parents involved in the sensitization against drug abuse, calling on them to pay attention to children at every stage of their development.

Abiodun said: “Social isolation for some and peer pressure for others are two major challenges confronting our children and adolescents today. As parents, we must be sensitive to changes in our children’s behavior so that we can nip in the bud any potential exposure to drugs and other substances.”

She pointed out that schools, places of worship, and recreational centers, as well as community leaders, influencers, and other gatekeepers, should be enlightened in the fight against the menace, charging the committee to give their best to the task of ridding the state of drug abuse.

The Commander, of Ogun State National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mrs. Archie-Abia Ibinabo, in her opening remark said, the state Drug Control Committee is a crucial mechanism to support the state-level multi-MDA actions and also govern and coordinate responses in the state.

The state Commissioner of Police, Lanre Bankole, who spoke on behalf of all the service commanders in the state, appreciated the first lady for her sacrifice in fighting the danger which had become a serious concern to law enforcement agencies.