Senate Moves To Establish Institute For Drug Awareness, Rehabilitation

Senate Moves To Establish Institute For Drug Awareness, Rehabilitation

The Senate, on Tuesday, took further steps to establish an institute for drug awareness and rehabilitation, as a bill to that effect scaled second reading on the floor of the Chamber during plenary.

The Senate passed the proposal after a debate on the general principles of “A bill for an Act to establish a National for Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, to coordinate and promote drug awareness, prevent substance abuse and facilitate the rehabilitation of drug users.

The apex legislative Assembly approved the bill for a second reading after the sponsor, Senator Hanga Rufa’i, representing Kano Central, led a debate on the document.

Rufa’i pointed out that drug abuse had enabled crime in the country, and therefore, required an agency to address the menace, saying: “The objective of this bill is to raise awareness of drug abuse, drug trafficking and the rehabilitation of drug users,” he said.

However, Senator Adams Oshiomhole, Senator representing Edo North, argued that, instead of creating a new institution to achieve the objectives of the bill, the existing ones like the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) should be strengthened.

He said: “I have serious concerns, there is no disputing the fact that drug abuse has become a national challenge,” former Edo governor said.

“As we speak we have NDLEA which not only prosecutes traffickers, takes care of the amount of drug abuse. I think what we have to do is look at the existing law of NDLEA to see how we can strengthen it.

“But with this idea of setting up agencies for everything, we will soon have laws against cough. We are spending so much on overhead. I’m not convinced that we need another body to compete with NDLEA.”

Also, contributing, the Senator representing Jigawa North-West, Hussaini Uba, supported Oshiomhole’s position, arguing that there was no need to have a separate agency on drug matters when the NDLEA could do the work.

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“Yesterday we were told that every day new drugs are imported into Nigeria. I was shaken to my marrow when I was told that dry human faecal matter is turned to things to get high,” Uba said.

“We can look at the existing institutions to strengthen the matter.”

In his contribution, Senator Kawu indicated that some Senators might be culpable of funding and supporting drug abusers in their constituency, asserting that every politician must be subjected to drug tests before vying for a public office.

However, the bill passed a second reading when it was put to a voice vote by Barau Jibrin, deputy senate president.