Pan-African students take on drug abuse

African Students Union Parliament has begun massive campaign against drug abuse among students in 55 member countries of the African Union.

The union, an umbrella body for students in 55 AU states, said it was concerned about the peculiarities of the challenges of member states, according to its speaker, Emmanuel Kendus of University of Ghana in Legon.

“Today, Africa is faced with the dire consequences of years of neglect of youths in its ranks, resulting in social vices as conflicts, kidnappings, bombings, robberies, which have assumed an alarming dimension,” he said.

Kendus spoke in Abuja as ASUP gave its third-ever Pan African leadership award to Dr Godswill Okara, President of Association of Medical and Laboratory Scientists of Nigeria.

ASUP’s Imperial Peace Ambassador Award has only ever being given to Justice Uwais and former education minister Edwin Clark.

ASUP said Okara’s credentials of “efficient service delivery, high administrative acumen and community service yet unsung makes him an iconic patriot in our Nigerian society worthy of emulation.”

Kendus said AMLSN’s efforts to maintain standards in healthcare were “outstanding and remarkable.”

He was nominated for the award at ASUP’s conference at Malawi’s University of Livingstonia.

He said the union epitomised a common African identity. “If we ever needed to emphasise the need for students to exert themselves and be the best they can be, not minerals but intellectual capital will drive progress in society in this information age,” said Okara.

DirectorGeneral of NAFDAC Dr. Paul Orhii presenting enlightenment materials to the DirectorGeneral of NTA Mr. Sola Omole when the later paid a courtesy visit to NTA, recently.