Drug Abuse, Insecurity In Nigeria: Governors Bemoan The Link

 

While under the aegis of the Nigerian Governors Forum (NGF), governors have expressed their concern over the link between drugs and rising insecurity in Nigeria. It was announced yesterday after the chairman/chief executive of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (rtd) gave a briefing on “Drug abuse and Insecurity – Relationship and New Perspectives”.

At the end of a teleconference meeting of the forum, the chairman of NGF and governor of Ekiti state, Kayode Fayemi stated that the NGF continues to honor its March 2021 commitment to the agency. Following the first presentation to the forum by the chief executive of the NDLEA, the governors reiterated their commitment to maintaining logistical support for the agency, as well as bringing the agency into meetings of the states’ security councils and providing land for barracks operations.

The governors received an update on the State’s Fiscal Transparency, Accountability and Sustainability (SFTAS) Programme-for-Results from Samer Matta, senior economist and co-tax team leader for the World Bank.

“The update which was part of measures taken to improve public financial management outcomes in the country covered ongoing state-level reforms to promote the adoption of e-procurement and open contracting data standards, records for state property taxation, and the publication of audit laws and audited financial statements. The NGF Secretariat will be positioned to coordinate a series of sustainability projects to maintain the positive outcomes achieved under the SFTAS programme.”

“The forum also received a presentation on Improving Health Financing and Universal Health Coverage from Eduardo Gonzalez-Pier, senior technical advisor for Palladium, an implementing partner for USAID’s Integrated Health Programme, where it shared its vision to achieve Universal Health Coverage by 2030 (SDG3). Among the set of actions pushed forward and adopted, was the continued release of equity fund to cover the vulnerable population in all states of the federation, onboarding of civil servants not yet covered under any health insurance scheme and preserving health sector spending amidst the current contraction in fiscal space for governments. The forum believes these changes will help stem the country’s declining labour productivity caused by illness.”

“Finally, a health briefing from the Forum’s Senior Health Advisor, Dr. Ahmad Abdulwahab, highlighted actions taken by the state governors over the last month, including participation at the PHC Summit where the NGF committed to intensify collaboration with the National Primary Health Care Development Agency (NPHCDA) to implement the Primary Health Care Leadership Challenge Fund for the actualisation of the Seattle Declaration. He also gave updates on health security issues highlighting outbreaks of Lassa fever, measles, and cases of meningitis in some parts of the country and the ongoing immunisation campaigns by the NPHCDA against these diseases and the need for the states to release the requisite counterpart funds and strengthen their respective Epidemic Preparedness and Response.”