Governor, Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya of Gombe State has urged state governments of the North-East zone to join forces with major stakeholders to stem the ugly trend of drug abuse in the region, IgbereTV reports.
He gave the charge when he declared open a meeting of all Secretaries of State Governments (SSGs) in the six states of the North-East held at the Banquet Hall of the Government House, Gombe.
He said the abuse of drugs propels the development of crime and criminality within the sub region, which compelled the forum to take a decision in order to reduce and eventually put a stop to the unfortunate development.
According to the governor, community leaders, religious bodies and voluntary organisations, must as a matter of urgency, embark on drug abuse enlightenment, treatment and prevention campaigns in order to stop the ugly trend.
He noted that the prevalence of drug abuse in Nigeria and its negative impact on public health and safety underscored the need for all hands to be on deck in order to curtail the challenge
