NAN-H-35
Centre
Calabar, Jan. 17, 2017 (NAN) The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has appealed to Cross River Government to build a rehabilitation centre for illicit drug users in the state.
The state Commander of the agency, Mrs Anthonia Edeh, made the appeal on Tuesday in Calabar in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Edeh said that non-availability of a rehabilitation centre in the state had made it difficult for the agency to properly counsel and rehabilitate drug addicts.
“It is unfortunate that Cross River has no rehabilitation centre where we can rehabilitate drug addicts.
“We appealed to the government to establish one; there must be a rehabilitation centre in Cross River. It is very important,’’ she said.
The commander told NAN that, due to lack of a rehabilitation centre, the agency was referring drug addicts to the Psychiatric Hospital, Calabar, after counseling.
“One problem with this is that, because of the nature of psychiatric hospitals, people regard these people as mad; this often scares parents, who prefer returning them home.
“Our job is not complete until a complete rehabilitation is carried out,’’ she said.
She claimed that the state government had yet to play any significant role in the fight against drug abuse, adding that the government regarded drug abuse as a personal issue.
“This is very unfortunate,’’ she said.
Edeh urged the government to assist the agency in providing utility vehicles to ease its operations.
She told NAN that drug abuse in the state had reduced due to the efforts of the agency. (NAN)
BEN/OIF/IGO
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(Edited by Ifeyinwa Okonkwo/Ijeoma Popoola)