GOVERNOR OKOWA CALLS FOR URGENT ACTIONS TO CURB CULTISM AND DRUG ABUSE AMONGST YOUTHS

The Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa has called for urgent actions to save Nigerian youths from the adverse effects of cultism and drug abuse.

The Governor made the call in Asaba when he received on courtesy visit, the Chairman, Delta State Chapter of the National Youths Council of Nigeria (NYCN), Comrade Kenneth Okorie, and members of the executive committee.

According to the Governor, “there has been a lot of cultism and the use of drugs and it is ravaging our youths, wherever we find ourselves, we should kick against it (cultism and drug abuse).”

“Cultism has become active even in secondary schools and outside the walls of our schools, we need to carry out advocacy among our youths, so that we begin to rethink these ills, we cannot destroy ourselves, we need to reach out to the youths early enough so as to save them from self-destruction,” the Governor emphasised.

While disclosing that his administration through the Directorate of Orientation was currently involved in awareness campaign against cultism and drug abuse, Governor Okowa added that his administration has also, empowered youths through different skill acquisition programmes to be self-sufficient and become employers of labour.

He stated that his administration will continue to encourage the youths especially through technical skills and called on the NYCN to “build and inculcate in the mind of the youths the need for hard work, commitment, focus in other to succeed in life.”

The Governor assured the youths of his administration’s readiness to partner with relevant stakeholders in its desire to run an inclusive and participatory government for the desired results to be achieved,

“We are disposed to getting people to be part of decision making and governance, that informs the town hall meetings that we have been holding and that is why we hold stakeholders meeting to get the input of our people,” the Governor added.

Earlier, Comrade Okorie, commened Governor Okowa’s administration for carrying out programme that will be beneficial to the youths.