NDLEA: CSO expresses confidence in appointment of Gen Marwa in fight against drug abuse

A Civil Society Organisation, CSO, Concerned Nigerians, CN, Tuesday, expressed confidence in President Muhammadu Buhari’s appointment of former Military Governor of Borno and Lagos States, Brigadier-General Buba Marwa, as new Chairman of Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, in the fight against drug abuse in the country.

Speaking with Vanguard, the Convener, CN, Prince Deji Adeyanju, said the track record of Marwa still can be seen in his performance when he was Military Governor of Lagos State, and people still attest to it.

Adeyanju also described him as competent Nigerian fit for the job, and soon the desired results in the fight against drug abuse will be seen as he will turn things around.

READ ALSO: Buba Marwa takes over at NDLEA, warns drugs traffickers others to stop practice forthwithMarwa replaced a former chairman/CEO of the agency, Col. Muhammad Abdallah (retd.), whose tenure expired on January 11. 20121.

He said: “General Buba Marwa is a competent Nigerian and I am confident that he will be able to turn things around.

“However, many of our expectations have been dashed by Nigerian leaders. We hope that he will not disappoint many people who are optimistic that to do well as the new NDLEA boss.

“It is expected his track record, especially when he was in Lagos as Military Administrator or Governor did so much there, and he has been out of office for a long time so he must have enough time to reflect and be in a position to do weigh much better. So, we are optimistic that he will do quite a lot.”

However, he (Adeyanju) tasked  him on positive legislation that would promote export of marijuana as other countries are doing and making billions of Dollars, especially now government is making effort to in diversify the economy from oil to other revenue generating sectors.

“However, this is a way to charge him because right now the world is moving away from fuel and so he should think outside the box, especially as it regards to the issue of marijuana (Indian hemp), the world is making billions of Dollars in export.

“So Nigeria should begin to think in that line especially in diversifying the economy because the economy is almost completely collapsed so him and his team should think of a way out of providing the necessary enabling legislation, which he can support the House of Representatives, which there is a Bill at the House of Representatives so we can see how we can export to the world to create employment, generation billions of Dollars and improve our Gross Domestic Product, GDP, and improve our economy”, he said.

He also advised the new NDLEA boss to begin fight against drug abuse in flash-point States, which he believes he (Marwa) knows what to do to arrest the situation.

“Emphasis should be placed in certain states in the country, and I believe he (Marwa) knows where to start the fight against drug abuse in the country.

“Once emphasis is laid in the key flash-points we can get our youths out of the streets because the fight against drug abuse will positively influence our youths to go back to schools including out-of-school children. He knows what to do because he has being in the game for a very long.”

Meanwhile, he called on youth groups, religious, traditional and community leaders including Civil Society Organizations, NGOs, institutions, and international community to support the new NDLEA chair to drastically reduce the menace of drug abuse, and change the narrative.