Abuja
Disturbed by the alarming rate at which drugs and substance are being abused in Nigeria, the Senate yesterday urged the federal government to establish rehabilitation centre in each state of the country.
The upper legislative chamber also mandated its Committee on Health to ensure that the government gives the centres the needed attention when established.
These resolutions were sequel to a motion titled: “Urgent need to establish more rehabilitation centres across the country,” sponsored by Senator Jeremiah Useni (Plateau South) and cosponsored by eight others at the plenary.
Leading debate on the motion, Senator Useni said the senate noted with “serious concern that drugs and substance abuse have become the order of the day in all parts of the country with the attendant negative consequences which include criminal activities such as armed robbery, rape, etc.”
He added that the Upper House was worried that “at least 50% of all addicts are likely to bear children with the same additive traits in their offspring unless and until they undergo professional drugs cessation rehabilitation.”
“Drugs and substance abuse affect intelligence which has gross negative effect in a person’s development across physical interpersonal social daily life which retards his basic achievements and therefore devastating multiple effects on the society,” he said.
Useni also said he was “convinced that the rehabilitation centres, if increased will be able to address quite a number of issues both in the short term and the long term including professional rehabilitation of drug addicts, diagnosis of children on childhood psychological disorders, personality functioning for adults, intelligence (IQ) testing.”
He added that the unemployment graduates who are holding certificates in psychiatry, public health and community health will be absolved by the centres.
In his contribution, Senator Mathew Urhoghide (PDP, Edo South) stressed the need for increasing the number of centres across the country due to the increase in the nation’s population.
He lamented that most of the existing centres lack drugs and adequate personnel; a situation he noted has led many Nigerians to self-medication.
Also, Senator Philip Gyunka (PDP, Nasarawa North) noted that drug and substance abuse has affected not only the addicts, but other people in the society, and therefore called for the establishment of more rehabilitation centres to address the menace.
Both Senators Rabiu Kwankwaso (APC, Kano Central) and Joshua Lidani (PDP, Gombe South) said the attendant effects of drug abuse would be drastically reduced with the increased number of such centres and reduce pressure on psychiatric centres in the country.
In his remarks, the deputy senate president, Ike Ekweremadu, who presided at the plenary said it was important that the Federal Ministry of Health and other relevant government agencies to establish more of the centres and ensure that they were properly regulated.
