BY SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
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A medical doctor with the Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu, noting the growing impact of drug related problems, has warned youths that staying free from drug is a lifetime challenge.
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Dr Vincent Chinonso Ogbuogu, made the statement, on Wednesday when members of the Enugu Chapter of the National Association of Seadogs (NAS), visited the rehabilitation centre of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Enugu to interact with the clients in the facility.
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The visit was in continuation of a campaign on drug abuse, tagged WADA (War Against Drug Abuse), embarked upon by the Enugu chapter in partnership with its sister chapter in New England, USA and in collaboration with NDLEA.
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Dr. Okechukwu Ogbodo, who represented the chapter’s Cap’n, Oseloka Egbuchiem, disclosed that the visit was to “cap the association’s enlightenment campaign in the last 8 months on drug abuse. We have been on radio every other week with experts and affected families talking about this.”
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He noted further that, “NDLEA has been wonderful in this collaboration in different ways and we are assuring the agency that we are ready to do more in this war against drug abuse.”
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Ogbuogu, the guest speaker, and at a time a client at the rehabilitation center to wean his dependence on drugs, thanked NAS for drawing attention to this menace that “is ruining the lives of young people and causing pains in many families.”
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Drawing on his experience, he called on youths to distance themselves from addictive drug, “because there is nothing good that comes from drug abuse. It takes everything from you. It destroys your finances, career, health, and can eventually kill you.”
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Ogbuogu warned the clients in the rehabilitation centre that while it might take just a day to get hooked on drugs, “it takes a lifetime to stay free from drugs.”
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He however assured the clients that although their dreams have suffered along with their finances, “I can tell you that your dreams are not dead. If they were, we all won’t be here today. Take this chance life is giving you to make it right.”
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Disclosing how he still has nightmares from his experience with drugs, he warned, “don’t go back to drugs when you leave here. If you do, there might be no second chance or redemption for again.”
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A deputy commander, Mr. Joseph Asikehia, who represented the Enugu State Commander, Owoputi J. Adenkule, CN, thanked NAS for visiting the facility and its wide reaching enlightenment program on drug abuse.
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The clients acted out a drama sketch on the consequences of drug abuse by people as members of NAS presented them with gift items like toiletries and football.
