The Presidency has reaffirmed its backing for the Special Committee on Campaign Against Social Vices in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions, with Chief of Staff to the President, Femi Gbajabiamila, announcing a ₦50 million seed donation to support its activities.
Gbajabiamila gave the assurance on Thursday during a meeting with the committee, led by its chairman, Professor Jerry Ugokwe, at the State House, Abuja. He described the committee’s mandate as critical to promoting the moral and social development of young Nigerians.
Warning that rising social vices among youths pose a growing national concern, Gbajabiamila stressed that deliberate, coordinated action is essential to safeguard the future of the country. “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 locus parentis for the children,” he said.
The Chief of Staff emphasised a whole-of-society approach, involving parents, teachers, religious leaders, communities, and institutions, to combat vices such as drug abuse, cultism, cybercrime, and examination malpractice. He described moral reorientation as fundamental to the effort and encouraged the committee to innovate and adapt to changing realities.
Drawing on his experience engaging students directly through school visits, Gbajabiamila noted the positive feedback such interactions have produced and assured the committee of institutional support, including collaboration with corporate organisations through Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives and potential budgetary provisions.
Earlier, Professor Ugokwe highlighted the committee’s mandate to combat social vices, promote discipline and responsible leadership, and collaborate with education authorities and security agencies. He noted that the committee has already conducted engagements in Edo and Kwara States and appealed for stronger institutional backing, including approval for a grand national launch at the State House Conference Hall.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the President on Student Engagement, Comrade Sunday Asefon, cited the tragic death of a university student linked to drug intoxication as evidence of the urgency of the intervention. He said the committee’s multi-stakeholder approach is designed to foster holistic value reorientation among students.
Asefon added that the Federal Ministry of Education has already provided budgetary support following the committee’s inauguration, enabling programmes in Edo and Kwara States and laying the groundwork for broader national engagement.
The meeting concluded with assurances of sustained collaboration, transparency, and measurable outcomes from the committee, aligning closely with the Federal Government’s broader youth development and nation-building agenda.