Hon Kasunmu Charges Constituents On Need To Curb Drug Abuse

The Lawmaker representing Ikeja Constituency 2 at the Lagos State House of Assembly, Hon Adedamola Richard Kasunmu, (ARK), has charged Constituents on the need to help in the war against worrisome drug abuse especially among teeming youths.

Hon ARK made the call during the 7th Annual Stakeholders’ Meeting, which took place at the Eko FM Multipurpose Hall, Agidingbi area of Ikeja, on Thursday 19th August, 2021.

Setting the ball rolling at the event, which was attended by the Executive Chairman of Ojodu LCDA, Hon Olusegun David Odunmbaku, APC Chieftains from Ikeja & Ojodu, Traditional Rulers, religious leaders, market leaders, youth groups, students and other Constituents, the Ikeja APC Caretaker Chairman, Alhaji Dally Adeokun, said, “I appeal to religious leaders to join hands with the parents and teachers in bringing up these children in the way of God. Let us stop copying everything from the Western world and let’s begin to agree and speak with one voice. It brings peace and unity and a better society”.

The Chief Host, Hon. Kasunmu, while speaking on the theme of the stakeholders’ meeting, “Increasing Wave of Drug Abuse: A Threat to Nation Building”, said, “It is sickening and worrisome the way bright and promising lives are dying on a daily basis due to narcotics and drug abuse. It is disheartening as a lot of them are infiltrating our Primary and Secondary Schools”.

Vibrant youthful Lawmaker, Hon ARK, charged his Constituents thus, “This is the time to act and go back to the drawing board in order to protect our future because the interest of our children and youth is the development of our nation. This is getting too much and rampant! it must stop!”

The Chairman, House Committee on Lands, noted that it is important for Lagos State Government and Lagos Ministry of Education to infuse drug abuse study into the citizenship education/social studies and civic studies of the schools syllabus. 

“The school curriculum has to be modified, redefined and re-analyzed towards the direction that it will encapsulate the ideologies behind anti-crime, anti-drug abuse and all other associated issues that have to do with the young and adolescent nowadays” Hon ARK submitted.

At the meeting, different stakeholders harped on the need for youths to shun drug addiction and abuse because it is eroding their essence to nation building. Other than that, it is also depleting their physical and mental health.

One of the stakeholders, Chief Kehinde Omolaja, “The issue of drug abuse is a topic that we should face seriously. It is affecting Nigeria and the whole world. We cannot isolate Nigeria and it is sad. In our days, nobody knows what drug is but as the world is evolving, it has opened people’s eyes to things that are inimical to their growth. Parents, teachers, governments should try all we need is dissemination of information about the danger of drugs to their wellbeing”.

Lending his voice to the discussion, the Chairman of Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Ojodu LCDA, Pastor Bantale Fadeyi, shared about youths and involvement in drug abuse: ‘All we need to do is to take them closer to God and nurture them in the way of the Lord because that is the way they can make their lives useful for God and society. My advice to parents is that they take care of their children and lead them in the way of the Lord”.

One of the market leaders present, Iyaloja of Ojodu LCDA, Chief Mrs. Folashade Salako prayed: “God will take care of our children. I ask parents to look out for their children. There’s a recent case of a 21-year old boy, who was almost dying due to drug abuse. I thank God that he was saved when we introduced him to a psychiatrist. He was staying with his grandmother where he didn’t get parental care. That is why parents should not leave their children alone”.

The meeting also afforded the young and dynamic Lawmaker the opportunity to appreciate party leaders for believing in him while also setting the records straight as regards some of the most recent achievements on his scorecard between the last Town Hall meeting in October 2020 and Mid-August 2021.

His achievements, aside Law making and oversight functions, raged from commissioning of boreholes with power generating sets in Ojodu, Yakoyo, Anifowoshe & Ipodo areas, education, scholarship and sports development, EndSARS violence victims compensation scheme, rehabilitation of Osaye/Adu Street, Agidingbi Health Centre, financial assistance & festive celebrations, including roads and other projects executed by the State Government through Hon. Kasunmu’s submission.