Officials of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have on Tuesday September 15, 2020, engaged executive members of the Motor Drivers, Sierra Leone Tricycle and Motor Bike Rider’s unions so as to find ways to prevent drug abuse and misuse among their members.
The engagement was done at NDLEA’s office on Walpole Street in Freetown.
Chairman, NDLEA’s Advisory Council, Assistant Inspector General of Police (Rtd.) Morie Lengor, said the engagement was to deepen NDLEA’s sensitization and advocacy through partnership with the unions.
“We want you to talk to your members to abstain from misusing drugs, which subsequently has effects such as mental health, anti-social behaviors, etc., on them. We have called you here to help us identify some of your members that we could train as volunteers who would in turn help to educate their peers to desist from drug abuse and misuse,” he said.
AIG (Rtd.) Lengor noted that if the unionists cooperate with NDLEA, they will succeed to end the misuse and abuse of drugs in Sierra Leone.
He said the misuse and abuse of drugs have a tendency to undermine President Bio’s human capital development, which focuses on building the capacity of all Sierra Leoneans through quality education and skills training and acquisition.
According to him, that was why NDLEA has brought together the unionists to support in the fight against the abuse and misuse of drugs.
NDLEA’s Executive Director, Abdul Sheku Kargbo, called on the unions to support his agency in the fight against drug abuse and misuse, stating that drugs are in the various communities, with young people mostly involved in its use.
Alpha A. Bah, President of the Motor Drivers’ Union, said their involvement in the fight against the misuse and abuse of drugs, was a very good initiative by NDLEA.
“We will help you to get rid of those that import it and cut-off the chain of smuggling. Once that is done, our communities would be free from this menace,” he assured.
Public Relations Officer, Tricycle Riders’ Association, Mohamed Kaindaneh-Conteh, said drug misuse is a serious threat to Sierra Leone’s human resource, and their membership is not an exception.
“Our membership is involved in income generating activities and they always get money to buy drugs. But we will talk to them in order to see the need to desist from such act,” he said.
Chairlady, Motor Bike Riders’ Union, Nellie Conteh, said some of their members, especially those that ride during the night, are in the habit of misusing and abusing drugs so as to prevent themselves from cold.
She urged NDLEA’s officials to concentrate on border areas, fishing communities and wharfs, if they want to succeed in the fight against drug abuse and misuse.
“For information dissemination, our riders would be very key as they would be able to sensitize the pillions on drug abuse while conveying them to their various destinations,” she noted.
By Joseph S. Margai (Strategic Communication Coordinator, Office of the President)
17/09/2020. ISSUE NO: 7911