The Speaker of the Ekiti State House of Assembly, Adeoye Aribasoye has disclosed that the lawmakers have concluded plans to initiate a law that would prohibit smoking in public places across the state.
Aribasoye called on the youths in the state to refrain from drug abuse for them to realize their potential and contribute meaningfully to societal development.
The Speaker made the remarks on Monday while receiving leaders and members of the state chapter of the National Youth Council of Nigeria (NYCN) who staged “Ekiti Youth Peace Walk” at the Assembly Complex as part of activities to mark this year’s International Day Against Drug Abuse.
Aribasoye who was joined by other lawmakers in the Assembly to receive the NYCN team also advised the youths to be part of governance by sponsoring private bills for consideration by the state legislature in critical areas that affect them, especially in policy formulation and decision-making.
Aribasoye regretted that abuse of hard drugs had had a negative effect on the youths and that, “public smoking does not only affect the smokers but also affects non-smokers.”
He urged all concerned individuals, authorities, institutions and bodies to come together and halt the trend in the interest of the youths and their future.
The Speaker sad: “Today, as you have observed, is the International Day Against Drug Abuse.
One of the things that have destroyed the future of the youths is drug abuse and all of us must be ambassadors, all of us must be champions to campaign against drug abuse.
“Anywhere we find ourselves, we must campaign against drug abuse.
“We just have to do it for us to have a saner society, we must campaign against drug abuse, it is very, very important. “Drug abuse has affected many lives and destroyed destinies. God has give our youths talents to positively affect their generation and we must not allow drug abuse to hinder them from realizing their potentials. “Very soon, we are coming up with a law against public smoking. Public smoking does not only affect the smokers but those who don’t smoke who must be protected from the effects of public smoking.”
He promised that when the standing committees of the Assembly were put in place, the Youth Committee would work hand-in-hand with NYCN to protect the interest of the youths and assist them to get the best in the scheme of things in the state.
Oluwasegun Famuyibo, said the youths of the state are against hard drugs and would continue to mount strident advocacy against the menace in collaboration with relevant agencies of government and other stakeholders. Famuyibo craved the support of the House of Assembly for the implementation of Ekiti Youth Policy which has as its centerpiece how youths can benefit from various MDAs, provision of jobs, entrepreneurship development, empowerment, among other benefits.
