The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, (UNODC), has assured the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, (NDLEA) of its support and renewed partnership in its ongoing effort to rid the country of substance abuse and illicit drug trafficking.
The new Country Representative of UNODC in Nigeria, Cheikh Ousmane Toure gave the assurance when he led a team of his top officials on a courtesy visit to the Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Brigadier General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd) at the Agency’s National Headquarters in Abuja, on Wednesday
While acknowledging the leadership role NDLEA plays in drug law enforcement in Africa and particularly the West African sub-region, the UNODC chief said his visit was to re-engage with the Agency on how to cascade the successes recorded at the national level to the states.
He said this was because the drug scourge is at the basis of most of the security challenges at the sub national level, adding that it is important to re-engage and re-energize the relationship between UNODC and NDLEA to see how they can both develop a greater plan to support the remaining implementation of the master plan and going forward.
The NDLEA boss in his remark appreciated the global body for its support to the agency over the years and expressed confidence that the new Country Representative will take the existing relationship to a new height.
Marwa listed some of the numerous achievements the agency has attained in the areas of drug supply reduction and drug demand reduction in the past four years with support of local and international partners including the UNODC, adding that the visit by the team provided the opportunity to present before them some of the areas they should consider in their support for the agency.
He asked the UNODC to support the agency’s Alternative Development Programme, which is the first in Africa, aimed at providing alternative means of livelihood for cannabis growers, noting that if they are able to provide an alternative, that would be good for them and for society.
Marwa, who also highlighted the drug use survey as another project that the Agency needed support, said the one published in 2018 is quite stale and need a re-assessment.
He also mentioned the National Drug Control Master Plan as another area of need, stating that the current master plan is 2021-2025, including capacity building, training and handy field test kits.
