A Bill for an Act to establish the National Institute on Drug Awareness and Rehabilitation, on Tuesday was rejected by some Federal Ministries and Agencies.
The rejection was made during a one-day public hearing on the Bill organised by the Senate Committee on Drugs and Narcotics.
Leading the rejection was the Ministry of Justice, emphasizing that establishment would amount to unnecessary duplication of functions as it contradicts the core function of the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Chief State Council of the Ministry, Mr. Imarha Oghenen Yerowo Reuben, representing the Honourable Minister counseled that instead of establishing a new agency, the existing agencies should be supported and strengthened to address drug abuse and rehabilitation of ex-offenders.
In the same vein, NDLEA informed the Committee that it has rehabilitation centres across the federation.
The NDLEA Secretary, Mr. Shadrach Haruna maintained that establishing a National Institute on Drugs Awareness and Rehabilitation will no doubt amount to wastage of government resources.
In her submission, Pharm. (Mrs.) Henrietta Bukaru Onyeneke, Director, Narcotics and Drugs Abuse Division, Federal Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, said the Bill, when passed, will lead to institutional duplication.
“I want to align with the first two speakers on the issue of establishing another Institute, considering the physical restructuring to avoid institutional duplication and inefficiencies”, she stated.
Among other agencies that rejected the Bill are, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP), and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).
However, the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCS) strongly supported the Bill, stating that the proposed Bill when passed will enhance the Service capacity to achieve its core mandate.
Dr. Abdullahi Shehu, Deputy Controller General, stated: “The Nigerian Correctional Service wholeheartedly welcomed the proposed Bill seeking to establish National Institute of Drugs Awareness and Rehabilitation.
“The Bill, if passed into law, will further enhance and strengthen the capacity of NCS towards achieving its core mandate of reforming, rehabilitation and reintegration of ex-offenders.
Dr. Shehu lamented that a sizable number of Drug related ex-offenders are being rolled into the society without rehabilitation.
Spark News Daily reports that the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Customs Service and Nigeria Navy supported the Bill.