By Donald Iorchir
A social worker, Mrs. Hadijah Ladi Umar, has expressed concern over what she described as “the high rate of drug abuse among youths” and called on parents to take more positive actions to check the menace.
Hadijah Umar, who is the chairperson, FCT chapter of the Nigeria Association of Social Workers, said the lack of parental supervision, domestic violence and the dislocation of standards had “greatly contributed to an increase in the number of youths abusing drugs and becoming wayward.”
According to her, all hope is not lost since the government and concerned parents can still intervene to redirect their children away from harmful substances and adopt better behaviour.
“This set of professionals can help mold the character of youths and save the nation millions of naira that are spent on the rehabilitation and cure of drugs addicts,” she said.
Umra also called for better funding of social workers’ programmes by government and the recognition of the profession to give it the required status.
