Lagos seeks coordinated action against drug abuse
Lagos State Government has stepped up efforts to combat the growing menace of drug and substance abuse. It called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, to safeguard the future of youths.
Lagos State Government has stepped up efforts to combat the growing menace of drug and substance abuse. It called for stronger collaboration among stakeholders, to safeguard the future of youths.
At a high-level stakeholders’ engagement organised by Lagos State Kicks Against Drug Abuse (LASKADA) Unit under the Ministry of Youth and Social Development, government officials and key actors emphasised the urgency of a unified and strategic response to the escalating challenge.
Commissioner for Youth and Social Development, Mobolaji Ogunlende, described substance abuse as a pressing public health and social crisis with far-reaching implications for education, mental health and public safety.
He said the problem had become prevalent within schools and communities, posing threat to the state’s social fabric and long-term development.
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Ogunlende said no institution could effectively tackle the menace alone, urging school counsellors, religious bodies, community leaders, security agencies and youth advocates to play roles in prevention, early detection and rehabilitation.
Permanent Secretary in the ministry, Toyin Oke-Osanyintolu, underscored the complexity of substance abuse, noting it continued to impact education, health care systems, family structures and overall community well-being.
She said isolated interventions had proved inadequate, calling instead for deliberate, sustained and well-coordinated efforts across sectors.
Participants hoped sustained collaboration and a unified framework would improve prevention efforts and reduce substance abuse across Lagos State.
