Navy Takes Drug Abuse, Dental Campaign to School Students in Lagos

…Donates medical supplies to school as part of rhapsody

Chiemelie Ezeobi

The Western Naval Command (WNC) of the Nigerian Navy recently took the campaign against Drug Abuse to the students and pupils of Immanuel Anglican School, Apapa, Lagos.

As much as this was part of measures to enhance civil-military relations, the medical rhapsody also witnessed a dental campaign that educated the school children on how to take care of their teeth.

The navy also carried out other health activities like deworming, while they donated hand sanitisers, branded face masks, insecticide treated mosquito nets, educational materials and a digital infrared thermometer.

According to the Flag Officer Commanding (FOC), Western Naval Command (WNC), Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa, the choice of drug abuse was necessary because of the increase in incidents of drug abuse in the society.

Therefore, he said bringing it to the students was a way of nipping it in the bud, adding that “the effect of drugs in our society particularly the youths is far reaching with negative consequences in society.

“The navy is a place where we recruit youths each year and if we do not get it right at this point, people will come into the force with a problem of negative drug abuse.

“Invariably, this will impact on our operations so, we are in a way, trying to nip the problem in the bud. The importance of eliminating drug abuse is so urgent that even a commission had been set up at the national level to address the issue.

“A part of the security problems we are facing is due to youths abusing drugs across the country. It is from this premise that the navy has decided to focus on negating drug abuse among our youths”.

On the medical rhapsody, he said the navy has a tradition of regularly reaching out to host communities as part of measures to enhance civil- military relations, adding that it was also part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), which is a key priority in the vision of the Chief Of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo.

He said: “The vision aims at sustaining partnership and catering for the welfare of the host communities in which any naval formation is domiciled.”

Gbassa said he was optimistic that the medical outreach would further strengthen the long standing cordial relationship between the navy and the Apapa community.

The Vicar of Immanuel Anglican Church, Dr.Fred Ekeke who was represented by Reverend Cannon Basil Iberosi, while thanking the FOC and NN for the philanthropic gesture, said the medical items and other materials will go a long way to meet the medical needs of the staff, students and pupils of the school.

On the dangers of drug abuse, Iberosi said it was doing a lot of havoc to the society, adding that parents have a role to perform in this regard by monitoring the activities of their children.

Pix caption: FOC Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Jason Gbassa presenting a school bag to one of the pupils of Immanuel Anglican School, Apapa, Lagos