Youths warned against cultism, drug abuse, others

NATIONAL Orientation Agency (NOA), Anambra State has charged youths to desist from cultism, exam malpractice and drug abuse.

  The state Director of NOA, Charles Nwoji stated this during the flag off ceremony of the second  phase of the youth  re orientation  programme  at Comprehensive Secondary School, Nwafia.

  In a release by the Media Relations Officer of the Agency, Comrade Obiorah Anthony, the state director who harped on the theme of the event, “Building youths for the new Anambra” Campaign Against Cultism, Exam Malpractice, Substance Abuse and Suicide, maintained that the issues of cultism, exam malpractice, substance abuse and suicide have eaten deep into the society.

The NOA Director, who was represented by the Deputy Director, Programmess of the Agency in Awka, Sir. Joseph Uchendu, warned the young students to report any person or group of persons who have the intention of luring them into cultism, exam malpractice, substance abuse and suicide to the school authority  for urgent action.

  Mr  Nwoji, who noted that NOA is taking the war against the societal vices  to all schools in the state with a view to catching the students young, said that  schools have a great role to play in building the desired ‘New Anambra State.’

He further educated the students on the causes and prevention of Lassa fever and coronavirus, advising them to form the habit of washing their hands with soap or ash whenever they come back from school before eating any food

The Principal Executive Officer of the agency in the Programmes Department, Mrs. Ifeyinwa  Izuakor, who dwelt mainly on the causes and effects of exam malpractice, described education as the bedrock of the society, saying that all hands should be on deck in the fight against the monster among the students.

  The principal of the school, Reverend Otiji, while contributing, said that parents hold the key in the fight against drug abuse in the society.

 Some of the students who spoke, thanked NOA for choosing the school for the programme and assured that they would put the regular rehearsal of what they learnt from the programme into practice as they work towards becoming responsible children.