Cannabis growers should be encouraged to cultivate other cash crops –Marwa

THOMAS IMONIKHE

Worried by the increasing abuse of cannabis by Nigerians, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, CEO, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig.-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa has advocated that growers of the illicit plant be encouraged to cultivate cash crops as part of measures reduce its supply

He said officers of the agency have taken the fight to the doorsteps of cannabis growers by destroying 772. 5 hectares of cannabis farms between January 2021 and October 2022, adding that incentives to growers will go a long way in discouraging them from cultivating the harmful plant.

The NDLEA boss, who spoke at an interaction with select editors on Tuesday in Lagos further disclosed that a link exists between increasing cases of divorce and suicide and drug abuse because such abusers usually have impaired judgement and cannot make rational decisions which result in unpleasant consequences.

Elaborating on the cannabis substitution, he said government should not only encourage the growers to completely do away with it but should be assisted financially to cultivate equally money spinning crops even as he disclosed that such practice had worked well in other countries.

Speaking on achievements since assuming office in January 2021, he noted that “we have moved the Agency a notch higher, taking it from obscurity to limelight, moving it from its backyard position to a frontline organisation that is today attracting national and international partnerships and supports such as donations of operational equipment, technical assistance and training from the UNODC, EU, US, UK, the French government and others including our local stakeholders like the ASR Africa headed by Alhaji Abdul Samad Rabiu of BUA Group.

“Operationally, between January 2021 and October 2022, we arrested 23, 907 drug traffickers including 29 barons. Our seizure was over 5,500 tons or 5.5 million kilograms of assorted illicit drugs, which together with cash seized are worth over N450 billion. In the same period, we have taken the fight to the doorsteps of cannabis growers by destroying 772. 5 hectares of cannabis farms.
In these 22 months, we have recorded convictions of 3, 434 offenders. We have equally made good strides in our drug demand reduction efforts where the number of those counselled and rehabilitated is 16, 114.

“Administratively, we have introduced multi-pronged incentives including, cash-backed awards for Best Performing Commands Awards and Commendations to motivate officers and men. We have also tackled the age-long problem of stagnation and the source of low morale among officers with the promotion of 3,506 officers and men of the Agency in 2021 and another batch of 1,018 just this week, including two DCGN, 17 ACGN, 29 CN, 78 DCN and 111 ACN. Others are 63 CSN, 106 SN, 129 DSN, 25 ASN I, 400 ASN II, 9 CNA, 44 SNA, 3 NA and 2 NAS I. In addition, we have paid all benefits owed officers for years and put in place premium life and injury insurance cover for all of them”.

According to him, President Muhammadu Buhari has also approved a number of welfare packages and incentives including the barrack project, which is also in full swing” stressing that these are indications that the future is bright for NDLEA officers.

Marwa said:”Now they have got nothing to fear whether now or in retirement because we now have a good welfare package that should take care of them and their families on the job or in retirement” even as he expressed optimism that the incoming administration would build on the solid foundation already built by the Buhari government.

He commended the media for partnering with the Agency in the war against hard drugs and abuse of psychotropic substances. “I would also like to seek your continued support in the course of our renewed effort to stamp out the menace of drug trafficking and abuse in our communities across the country especially as we go into the new year in a matter of days. I need not tell you what you already know about the situation we met in the agency in January 2021 whether in terms of staff morale, operations or administrative issues. If you juxtapose what you know of NDLEA in recent years with the developments of the past two years, I think you will get a fair idea of what I mean. However, I am glad to let you know that in all the major fronts that I just mentioned, we have moved the Agency a notch higher”.