By Simon Ebegbulem

BENIN CITY—STAKEHOLDERS in Edo State have lamented the abuse of drugs in schools across the state and stressed the need to eradicate the problem.

Worried by the situation, the Edo State government says the  campaign against drug abuse will be taken to public schools across the state, urging parents to join the fight against drug abuse.

The government made this known during a formal inauguration of a drug free club at Agbonmoba Secondary School, Benin City. The state commissioner for Education, Mr Emmanuel Agbale, who stated this, said it was part of the reform initiative of the present administration in public schools across the state.

He said the reform initiative is to revive clubs and extra curriculum activities in public schools to give the children all round education.

The chairman of the state Post Primary Education Board, PPEB, Mr Gabriel Oiboh,explained that during the inauguration that the drug free club would be supported in view of the inherent danger of drug abuse.

While noting that the menace of drug abuse have become a worrisome issue across the country, Oiboh who was represented by, Dr Flora Egbadon, Director of Administration in PPEB, stressed that various societal ills have been attributed to the menace.

Similarly, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, said the harmful effect of drug abuse to the youths and society in general cannot be quantified. Mrs Hope Aigbogun, officer in the Drug Demand Reduction Unit of the NDLEA, said most youths who engage in abuse of drugs do so ignorantly, not knowing the consequences.