The Presidency has donated ₦50 million to support the Special Committee on the Campaign Against Social Vices in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, describing rising social vices among youths as a growing national concern.
Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, made the announcement on Thursday during a meeting with members of the committee, led by its Chairman, Prof. Jerry Ugokwe, at the State House, Abuja.
The Chief of Staff said the donation, to be released in two tranches beginning with ₦25 million, demonstrates the Presidency’s commitment to addressing what he described as a challenge that has assumed “near-pandemic proportions globally.”
The State House Director of Information and Public Relations, Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, disclosed the development in a statement titled ‘Presidency Backs Special Committee’s Drive Against Social Vices in Schools’.
“We cannot sit back and do nothing and expect this country to grow or develop if we do not start from the foundation,” Gbajabiamila said.
He warned that failure to properly guide and support youths could undermine the long-term gains of the Federal Government’s ongoing reforms, many of which are targeted at the younger generation.
The Chief of Staff emphasised that tackling the menace requires a whole-of-society approach involving parents, teachers, religious leaders, communities and relevant institutions.
“It takes a community to raise a child. It’s not just about the parents anymore; it’s about the clergy, your neighbour, the teachers. We all stand in loco parentis for the children,” he said.
Gbajabiamila underscored the strong link between law and morality, describing moral reorientation as fundamental to addressing social vices in schools and campuses.
He assured the committee of the Federal Government’s readiness to collaborate, adding that efforts would be made to mobilise support from corporate organisations through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and to explore possible budgetary provisions.
The Chief of Staff urged the committee to think innovatively and adapt to changing realities, drawing from his experience of engaging students directly through school visits, which he said produced positive feedback.
He assured that his office would remain open for sustained engagement with the committee.
Earlier, the Chairman of the Committee, Professor Ugokwe, explained that the committee’s mandate includes identifying and addressing social vices in schools, promoting discipline and responsible leadership, and collaborating with institutional authorities and security agencies to combat cultism, drug abuse, examination malpractice, cybercrime and related offences.
He said the committee is also responsible for organising sensitisation campaigns and recommending policies to strengthen student welfare, campus security and academic excellence.
The PUNCH