The Delta State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (DESOPADEC) has taken its sensitization efforts directly to the people, engaging traders at the bustling Ogbe-Ijoh Market in Warri. The one-day public enlightenment campaign focused on educating market women, many of them mothers, on the alarming rise of substance abuse among youths and the critical role parents must play to stop the tide.
Representing the Commission’s Executive Director, Social Services, Chief Favour Izoukumor, was the Head of Community Development and Public Enlightenment, Chinenye Ezonfade, who led the campaign team and delivered a passionate call to action. Ezonfade urged parents to pay closer attention to their children’s emotional and social development, stressing that prevention begins at home.
Despite their busy trading schedules, the market women paused to absorb the urgent messages delivered by DESOPADEC’s enlightenment officers, Rita Takeme and Honeywell Eburajolo. They highlighted the importance of mother-child bonding, noting that strong parental guidance can shield young people from the peer pressure that often leads to drug experimentation and eventual addiction.
Speakers didn’t shy away from pointing out the hard truth, illicit drug use is directly linked to a surge in violent crimes including robbery, kidnapping, ritual killings, cybercrime, and prostitution. The team emphasized that drug abuse does more than damage health; it destroys families, derails education, and cripples national productivity.
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Mothers were specifically warned to be vigilant about their children’s circle of friends and to monitor their access to smartphones and internet-enabled devices. Unrestricted digital exposure, the speakers cautioned, can lure unsuspecting youths into dangerous online communities promoting drug use and criminal behavior.
The event became even more impactful during an emotional interactive session, as several traders shared heart-wrenching stories of how drug abuse had torn through their families and neighborhoods. Many called on the government to intensify the crackdown on drug trafficking and to introduce tougher regulations on drug access.
To encourage participation and amplify the campaign’s reach, DESOPADEC rewarded some of the most vocal and engaged women with tokens of appreciation. These women, now empowered with knowledge and a sense of responsibility, pledged to take the message back to their homes, communities, and churches.
This strategic engagement by DESOPADEC is part of a wider initiative to address the root causes of drug abuse through education, advocacy, and community collaboration, targeting not just the youths but the very homes and markets where the future of Delta State is being shaped.
