NYAGATARE -The Minister for Cabinet Affairs, Protais Musoni, has said that fighting drug abuse should involve all residents in the country, and not be left to the police or local authorities alone.

The minister said this while launching a week-long campaign to fight against drug abuse among the youth in Nyagatare District.

Addressing hundreds of local leaders, military and police officers and students from both secondary and primary schools who had gathered at Umutara Polytechnic University, Musoni urged the youth to put in more efforts in fighting the growing consumption of drugs.

He told them that government organized the countrywide campaign after it was discovered that drug abuse was escalating, especially among the youth, which he said destroy the youth’s future.

"Development means tirelessly utilizing your body and mind to positively move from one step to another. You cannot make this step if you are consuming drugs,” he said.

The minister told participants to own the anti-drug abuse campaign which he said is the only way of eradicating the vice among the youth.

"In my home area in Kicukiro District, we organized a campaign to fight drug abuse among the youth at the village level but we have so far registered tremendous success. You need to take up this example,” he said.

Nyagatare Sector Executive Secretary, James Gakuru, attributed the proliferation of drugs in the district to its geographical location, being along the border with Uganda and Tanzania.

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