Tension as Obiano inaugurates Committee to tackle Pharmaceutical shop owners on drugs

www.odogwublog.com reports that eminent war is on for Pharmaceutical shop owners in Anambra state over drugs.
Already a 10-man Anambra state drug control committee has been inaugurated by the Anambra state Governor, Willie Obiano at the Governor’s lodge Amawbia.

The committee has the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Joe Akabuike as Chairman while the State Director of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Mr Sule Momodu and Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Health, Dr. Okwuchukwu Chukwuka as members.

Other members of the committee are Chinwe Tomson, Barr. Anene Emeka, Leo Imoke,  Dimejesi Nneka, Hope Ekesiobi, Arthur Iwuanya, and Tim Onugha.

Inaugurating the committee, Governor Obiano charged the members to collaborate with the state NDLEA, to ensure implementation of drug demand reduction in the state and as well develop appropriate intervention strategies that will reduce the illicit control drug in the state.

He also enjoined them to always advice the government to ensure that illicit drug abuse and trafficking is reduced to the barest minimum.

Obiano noted that “Illicit drugs especially the one that make people high contributes to over 90 per cent of crimes being committed in the society”, adding that technical control of the abuse will reduce crime in the state.

In his remarks, the State Director NDLEA, Mr Sule Momodu commended Governor Obiano for his inclusion of NDLEA in state security council on resumption of office and donation of a piece of land with Certificate of Occupancy and resources for the construction of a rehabilitation centre in the state

He noted that the command had only 49 convictions in 2016 but regretted that the command has no place to sensitize those that abuse drugs and reduce drug crime due to the absence of rehab centre in the state, which he said will help to reduce the demand

“Your Excellency, you directed that NDLEA should work with SSG to organize public sensitization for teachers so that they can talk to their students as a way of reiterating his early approval that drug education be thought in schools which is being challenged by bureaucracy” he said.

Momodu also pointed out that the activities of the Pharmaceutical shop owners in the state are becoming worrisome. He noted that Pharm. Shops owner’s activities if unchecked will do more harm that the conventional drugs being fought by the command.

“They sell drugs that are meant to be sold on prescription without prescription.  Most of them are meant to have a safe place where control drugs are kept  but some don’t have it. Worst thing is that most of the shops are run by non- Pharmacists’’.