Poverty fuelling drug abuse, mental illness – Gov. Ikpeazu

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has urged for concerted efforts
by government at all levels towards addressing issues of poverty in
Nigeria.

The Governor spoke in Enugu on the theme, " Poverty and Drug abuse;
Their Nexus in mental Illness", while delivering the 5th public
lecture of the West Africa College of Nursing, Federal
Neuropsychiatric Hospital, Enugu.

The lecture marked part of the opening ceremony of a one-week
certificate course in Adult Geriatric and Public Service for health
workers.

Ikpeazu identified poverty as the commonest factor that has encouraged
drug abuse among young persons in the country.

He stated that the social and economic status of most Nigerians was
below average, pointing out that the situation had been aggravated by
lack of skills and employment opportunities, adding that in the bid to
fight these and other frustrations, young people and even older ones
resort to drugs for succor.

While disclosing that poverty had contributed significantly to high
school drop-outs and child labour, he said: "Such children enter the
streets where there is no parental or teacher control and are likely
to join unscrupulous group and gangs that will initiate them into the
drug culture".

He identified peer pressure, lack of parental control and adverse
parental influence, curiosity and Heredity among others as responsible
for drug abuse, stressing that there was need to check the rising
rates in the interest of the society.

He stated that attempts to prevent or treat substance abuse and the
mental illnesses they cause must include measures taken to alleviate
poverty at the individual, family and community levels, adding that
his administration had intervened in different aspects of socio-
economic lives in a bid to end poverty and reduce the prevalence of
drugs and mental illness in the society.

Ikpeazu identified measures taken by his government to address the
problem to include creation of multiple jobs, investing in trade and
commerce, oil and gas as well as industry and education.

He stated that Commerce had been given a boost in the state through
the "Made in Aba" campaign, where he had become the chief promoter and
marketers of Made in Aba products by wearing the cloths as well as
encouragement of the Small and Medium Enterprises (SME).

He said he has linked major roads in the state to areas of production
and markets with the completion of over 80 of such roads.

He said that the state government has boosted the enrolment in public
schools with the school meal programme, from 140,000 to 600,000,
adding that more than five thousand women have gained employment as
Cooks in the various schools in the state.

In a remark, the course coordinator, Mr. Afam Ndu said the annual
one-week course was essential to enable health workers with emerging
demands of taking care of the old in the society as well as manage
increasing issues of mental health.