The Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare has declared its readiness to work with Re-Orientation Advocacy of Nigeria (RAN) and other stakeholders to strengthen drug abuse and treatment prevention programmes.

The ministry said the partnership would specifically target people with drug use disorders.

Health minister Mohammed Ali Pate said this at a partnership meeting with RAN on Thursday in Abuja.

Mr Pate expressed the ministry’s readiness to play a major role in addressing the issue of drug abuse.

The minister said this would be targeted among the youth, women, and adolescents in the country, in line with President Bola Tinubu’s ‘Renewed Hope Agenda. ‘

He said concerns were raised from many quarters about the rise in drug and substance abuse among youth and women in the northern and southern parts of Nigeria.

He said RAN’s involvement in the issue was timely and sacrosanct.

Mr Pate, who commended the efforts of relevant government and non-governmental organisations to address the issues, maintained that all hands must be on deck to bring the situation under control.

Charles Folayan, RAN executive director, commended the ministry for supporting stakeholders’ engagement in drug prevention, treatment, and care held in December 2023.

Mr Folayan equally commended the ministry for its representation in the Joint Task Team constituted at the programme.

He said drug and substance abuse had taken youth and women to armed robbery, vandalism, sexual assault, insurgency, banditry, domestic abuse and violence, HIV and AIDS, and accidents, among others.

(NAN)