An official of the National Drugs Enforcement Agency (NDEA), during the Kombo South Youth Preparatory Training ahead of the District Youth Congress, recently challenged the National Youth Parliament to do more in the area of youth drug and substance abuse.

Speaking at the forum that was organised by the young people and the NDEA, Mr. Essa Sarr, the NDEA Administrative Commander stressed that more action is needed in fighting drugs in this country. He called for closer collaboration and partnership between the National Youth Parliament, the NDEA and the general public in reporting suspected drug dealers.

Sarr expressed concern over the low rate of voluntary reporting of cases to the security officials. He indicated that with the total cooperation of the rest of the society the war against drugs would end in victory.

For his part, Mr. Modou Jobe, the NDEA Prosecutor who was also speaking at the occasion revealed that drugs are rampant in the country and that all nationals are being arrested, detained, charged and prosecuted if they are caught committing drug related offences.

He proudly told the gathering of youths that his institution is making tremendous achievements in fighting drugs in this country. He encouraged every individual to provide information to the agency on drug dealers, traffickers and abusers.

Pa Samba Bojang, in his statement, described drugs as any chemical or natural substance that affects the normal functioning of the central nervous system. He told the young people that the most common form of drug abuse in this country is that of cannabis, which forms 80% of all their cases.

Hon. Maimuna Sarr, the Deputy Speaker of the National Youth Parliament who was also speaking at the occasion called for the intensification of the community policy programme. She noted that more needs to be done to create the necessary awareness among the people of the communities. She expressed her institution’s willingness to work closely with the NDEA in attempting to create a drug free society by informing the people and enrolling their help.

Various youth speakers at the function thanked the NDEA for their work and called for the institution to provide periodic publication of it’s reports on drugs especially in relation to young people so that the extent of the problem can be widely known.