Remawa posted on March 29, 2009 13:14
As part of the implementation of the commitment undertaken at the 20th Special Session of the UN General Assembly (UNGASS) in 1998, Nigeria has developed a new four-year National Drug Control Master Plan 2008-2011 to tackle the scourge of drug trafficking and abuse.
The plan covers control of illicit drug supply, adequacy and efficacy of legal framework, and demand reduction.
The Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Chief Michael Kaase Aondoakaa (SAN) stated this yesterday (11/03/2009) while addressing the High-Level Segment of the 52nd Session of the United Nations Commission on Narcotic Drugs (CND) in Vienna, Austria.
The new plan, a reviewed version of the 1999 Master Plan developed by Nigeria after the UNGASS in 1988, was developed to accommodate issues such as “HIV/AIDS and other related matters in the context of drug use, alternative development for cannabis farmers, and prevention of precursor chemicals diversion, among others”, he said.
Aondoakaa enumerated progress recorded by Nigeria in the drug fight to include the outstanding performances of Nigeria’s National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in the control of illicit drug supply through sustained interdiction, crop eradication and prosecution of drug traffickers.
Another step forward is the implementation of measures to promote judicial cooperation adopted at the 20th UNGASS, including extradition, mutual legal assistance (MLA), as well as measures to support the judicial process and other forms of cooperation.
Since 2003, according to him, Nigeria has intensified Drug Abuse Prevention Education Campaigns focusing on the linkages between drug abuse and HIV/AIDS, adding that in 2008, the country also embarked on an elaborate awareness campaign programme across the nation tagged “Total Commitment to a Drug-Free Nigeria”.
He called for support from Nigeria’s development partners in meeting the challenges of combating illicit drug trafficking as well as treatment for drug users.
Also speaking as the representative of the African Group at the session, Nigeria’s Minister of Justice expressed the Group’s satisfaction with new Political Declaration and its Plan of Action, and hoped that the High-Level segment would adopt it by acclamation.
The Minister noted with concern the new trends of drug trafficking though the region as a transit route to destination regions, adding that that constituted a major threat to the political and economic stability of the continent, and threatened the safety of populations, especially the youth.
The Group also called on the international community to support the African countries in the implementation of the African Union Plan of Action on drug control and crime prevention for 2007-2012, as well as the follow-up mechanism for implementation, monitoring and evaluation of the revised AU Plan of Action.
The Segment was convened to asses the efforts made over the past ten years to achieve the goals set in the Political Declaration, adopted in 1998 by the UN General Assembly at the 20th Special Session and its Plan of Action.