Former Nigerian president Olusegun Obasanjo, who is Chairman of the West Africa Commission on Drugs and Kofi Annan, Chair of the Kofi Annan Foundation, will meet with President John Dramani Mahama, Chair of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) on Wednesday, 20th August, to discuss regional responses to the growing drugs threat in West Africa.
A statement issued by the Ministry of Communications late Tuesday, said in June, the West Africa Commission on Drugs concluded that drug trafficking, consumption and production in the sub-region undermines institutions, threatens public health and damages development efforts and called on West African governments to reform drug laws and policies and decriminalize low-level and non-violent drug offences.
The statement quotes Chairman Obasanjo as saying that �ECOWAS is uniquely placed to urge West African governments to collaborate and make common cause against the threat posed by drugs� and that �Only a concerted regional response has a realistic chance of curbing the pernicious effects of this well-organized trade�.
�We must look pragmatically at what works and what does not when it comes to dealing with drugs�, Kofi Annan said. �The report which chairman Obasanjo of the West Africa Commission on Drugs will present to President Mahama, makes a frank assessment of the situation and puts forward concrete policy recommendations which I hope will be heeded across the region and beyond�.
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