Sunday Ani, Lagos
The Lagos State House of Assembly on Monday called on the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to direct his Commissioners for Education, Information and Strategy, as well as Youth and Social Development and other relevant government agencies to launch anti-drug programmes in all primary, secondary, tertiary institutions as well as for the out-of-school students in the state.
Moving the motion enitled “A call on the Lagos State Government to embark on anti-drug corruption campaign in secondary schools in the state,” a House member representing Surulere 1 state constituency, Mr Desmond Elliot, urged the House to call on the Chairman, Task Force on Environmental and Special Offences (Enforcement) Unit to carry out strict enforcement against the sale of drugs around school premises and mandate the Committees on Education and Legislative Compliance to ensure that the relevant agencies also comply with the resolution of the House.
‘The State Commissioner of Police should keep watch on school environment. He should direct his men to ensure that there is no sale of drugs around school premises. We should also have anti-drug societies in schools. Parents are also called upon to keep watch on their children to reduce the usage of drugs in our society,’ Mr Elliot said.
The state lawmaker and former actor said the House has observed that the increasing rate of drug abuse and alcohol consumption among students of secondary schools in the state is one of the problems affecting school-age teenagers.
‘It has been observed that such experiment with drugs, alcohol and tobacco most often starts from the elementary schools and peak in high schools, where its adverse effect begins to show high on the students.
‘It was further observed that the unrestrained abuse of drugs, alcohol, tobacco and other prohibited drugs negatively affect the students’ academic performance and achievements because it breeds gangsterism, gang-rape and cultism,’ he said.
In his comment, the Speaker of ye House, Mr Mudashiru Obasa, said described the development as worrisome, even as he urged the House to look at the Child Rights Act and make necessary amendments.
‘The school authority can go round to check the students. We cannot stop people who sell items around schools, but it is a good motion that will correct the attitude of our children in and out of schools.
‘We should also be vigilant about what goes on around us. The parents should be vigilant so as to know when their children start to take drugs.
‘Parents should also be sanctioned once their children are caught. The gatemen are also culpable as they allow people to use the school premises at night. The government should also look into that and monitor the recruitment of security men in the schools,’ he said.
With supported total support from all the lawmakers in attendance, the motion was passed as a resolution of the House
The House later adjourned sitting to Monday, September 7 at 12 noon.