Warri Monarch, Foundation Move Against Vices Confronting Adolescents

 Sylvester Idowu in Warri

The office of the sole representative of the Olu of Warri/Liaison to NNPCL and CORA Care Foundation have begun moves to address social vices confronting the physical, emotional and psychological development of adolescents in Warri, Delta State, with a plan to organize a one-day seminar for Senior Secondary School adolescents aged 12-19 years.

The event, tagged: ‘Empowering Adolescents for a Sustainable Future’, is slated for Thursday, October 24 at Brownhill Coliseum, Elf Road Ogunu, Warri by 9.00am.

The one-day conference is aimed at equipping adolescents with knowledge and skills necessary for informed career choices, educate them on reproductive health and hygiene practices, raise awareness about the risks of drug abuse and its link to cancer, discuss the impact of early pregnancy on cancer risk, as well as foster essential life survival skills for holistic well-being.

Reports estimate that 27.6% of Nigerian adolescents (15-19 years) use psychoactive substances (National Bureau of Statistics, 2020) and 17.2% of students (11-16 years) reportedly use Cannabis (Global School Health Survey, 2016), while 15.1% of adolescents (15-19 years) were pregnant or had been pregnant (National Demographic and Health Survey, 2018) and 23.2% of young people (15-24 years) engaged in unprotected sex (National HIV/AIDS and Reproductive Health Survey, 2017).

Findings revealed that factors inhibiting the physical, emotional and psychological development of adolescents include peer pressure and social norms, lack of parental guidance and support, inadequate education and awareness, access to harmful substances and media, as well as socioeconomic disparities and poverty.

The consequences of these issues include long-term physical and mental health problems, reduced economic productivity, increased risk of exploitation, violence, poverty and social inequality, as well as negative impact on community development and societal well-being.