The Kwara State University (KWASU) in Malete, has stated its readiness to partner the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) on the war against drug abuse.
Vice Chancellor of the Institution, Prof. Mustapha Akanbi stated this when receiving the award of War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) Ambassador conferred on him by the agency.
Receiving the award at the NDLEA office on Thursday, Akanbi appreciated the management of NDLEA for the unrelenting war against drug abuse and narcotics substances.
The vice chancellor observed that there was symbiotic relationship between drug abuse and increase in crime rate.
The professor of Law urged the agency not to relent in its efforts at ensuring that the issue of drug abuse was reduced to the barest minimum if not totally eradicated.
He explained that the KWASU management was working round the clock to make sure that graduates of KWASU were worthy, both in learning and character.
Earlier, NDLEA Commander in Kwara, Mr Ambrose Umoru, commended the vice chancellor for his unalloyed support to the agency.
Umoru expressed the readiness of his office to join hands with the state University in the fight against illicit drugs.
Umoru said that the partnership would take-off with the establishment of Drug Free Club for KWASU students, adding that the KWASU community and the society at large would benefit tremendously from the partnership.
He said that the formation of the club would serve as a veritable tool to enlighten students on the dangers inherent in drug abuse and other social vices.
“Setting up of Drug Free Club will afford students opportunity to interact on drug abuse and related matters as well as encourage each other to shun the use of illicit drugs.
“I and my team will come down to the University for the orientation and inauguration of the club as soon as students return from their vacation.
”Services such as training of students on drug related matters especially training on drug identification and systematic procedures for the reports would be explicitly carried out for voluntary staff and students,”
the commander assured.
He added that the cardinal mandate of the agency was to provide counseling, treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts so as to have a drug free society.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that a 9-man KWASU/NDLEA joint committee was set up for the actualisation of set goals and objectives. (NAN)