The use of illicit drugs by drivers has been identified as the major factor responsible for 80 per cent? of road accidents on the nation’s roads.
The? Director? General?? of? National? Agency?? for? Food, Drugs??? Administration??? and? Control?? (NAFDAC), Dr. Paul Ohii?? disclosed?? this? yesterday in? Lagos and? cited?? road? accident? data?? from? the?? Federal? Road? Safety Commission? (FRSC) .?
The? NAFDAC?? Director General? (DG)? who? spoke?? during the launch of sensitisation campaign on drug abuse for road transport?? drivers?? and?? okada???? riders in? Lagos? ,? lamented??? that?? drug abuse by commercial drivers has contributed to road carnages in the country.
“I believe that? today’s? collaborations between NAFDAC, NDLEA and FRSC??? and?? the?? NYSC? members? will go a long way in sensitising the average driver in our communities;?????? and?? consequently?? bring? about?? reduction?? of?? road accidents,”?? he? stated.
The NAFDAC??? DG??? said that the sensitisation campaign was the brain-child of a serving youth corps member in the agency, Mr.? Richard Green.? He said that the agency was concerned about the rising trend of drug abuse in the?? nation??? especially among youths and?? commercial?? bus drivers and okada drivers.
“We? have conducted a rapid? situation assessment in??? Lagos,?? Abuja ,? Minna,?? and? other? cities?? and also visited neuro-narcotic hospitals in Abeokuta, Sokoto, Maiduguri, Enugu, Kaduna, Benin and Calabar, and our findings have revealed that there is a high incidence of abuse of?? narcotic? drugs??? such? as?? diazepam,?? cocaine,?? morphine,?????? and?? even??? cough syrup, (codeine)?? are? being? mixed? into? all? forms of?? concoctions?? and? used??? amongst??? okada riders? and?????? commercial?? drivers???? all? in? the? bid? to? feel?? high.? We?? even?? discovered??? cases?? like?? mixing???? of?? white magi and cola drinks,?? to?? give?? one the?? high?? feeling??? of?? drunkenness,” he said.