The House of Representatives has set up an ad hoc committee to investigate the prevalence, regulation and impact of drugs, tobacco, alcohol and illicit trafficking on Nigeria’s economy and public health.
The committee, chaired by Oluwatimehin Adelegbe, was constituted following a House resolution to probe the growing rate of drug abuse among Nigerians.
In a statement yesterday, Adelegbe noted that the committee had been given an urgent mandate to identify the root causes, institutional weaknesses and enforcement lapses fueling substance abuse across the country.
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He urged Nigerians and relevant organisations to submit memoranda addressing their concerns and recommendations, which would guide legislative interventions ahead of its investigative hearing.
‘This process is both investigative and participatory. The House wants a coordinated, data-driven and sustainable response to the menace of drug abuse,’ he added.
He said the committee had invited key stakeholders, including the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Federal Ministry of Health, Federal Ministry of Justice, Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Group of MAN (PMG-MAN), and major pharmaceutical firms, such as Emzor, Fidson, May and Baker, Juhel and Dana.
Also invited are beverage and tobacco companies like Nigerian Breweries, Guinness Nigeria, and International Distillers Ltd, as well as law enforcement bodies, including the NDLEA, the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Customs Service and the Nigerian Correctional Service.
Professional and advocacy groups such as the Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN), Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Association of Psychiatrists in Nigeria (APN), and Civil Society Network on Substance Abuse (CSNSSA) will also make inputs.
Adelegbe said the House was determined to use the findings to craft strong policies that would curb substance abuse and its devastating effects on the country.