Lukuvi: Illicit trade on drug trafficking is still uncontrollable

DESPITE efforts by the government to curb with the illicit trade on drug trafficking, statistics shows that, there has been high increase of drug users which has caused negative impacts among the youths in the country. Statistics made available by the Ministry of Health and Social Services indicates that, a total of 1,461 drug users most of whom youths have been treated in different heath centers in five regions in the country in 2012 alone. Addressing a press conference yesterday, the Minister of State in Prime Minister’s Office responsible for Coordination and Parliamentary Affairs William Lukuvi named the regions as Tanga, Mwanza, Iringa, Tabora and Lindi. Minister Lukuvi had just tabled a report that shows the state of illicit drugs in the country for 2012 to Members of Parliament before the questions and answers session.  He did this to fulfill his commitment in accordance with the Act of preventing illegal trade on illicit drug Cap 95 Sect. 6 The provision shows the situation and the problem caused to users as a result of illegal trade on illicit drug trafficking in the country in line with efforts taken so far to curb with the situation and successes attained as well as the challenges lying ahead and ways and means on how to overcome the problem. He said the report on illicit drug of 2012 shows that, the problem is still persisting in the country despite government efforts to restrain the move to prevent illegal drug trafficking.  Minister Lukuvi has attributed the continued arrests of the traffickers in various entry points in the country and outside, citing the recent arrest of 211 kilograms of heroin being the largest consignment ever arrested at once in the country is very astonishing to see that, the situation is still very bad.  He disclosed saying that, the larger consignment bulks are said to have been ventured secretly into the country through Indian Ocean border entry points which has a confluence of approximately 1,400 kilometer stretch  Showing the strength and efforts by the government over the control of the vice, he said quoting his report and noted that, the arrests of the illicit drug and the destruction of farms on which the bangi crop has been planted are among the efforts shown b y the government in the whole process to curb with the situation in the country. A total of the 214 hectares of land on which the crops was grown in various parts in the country was completely destroyed, either he said the arrest of the illicit bangi crop had increased by 182 percent from 17.3 tones in 2011 to 48.7 tones in 2012. Another illicit drug (mirungi) were arrested in abundance within the 2012 year period whereby a total of 6,216 kilograms were arrested compared to 126 kilos arrested in 2011. This is an increase of 49 times. Either he has noted in the report that, the government had continued to destroy the impounded consignment in the country. However, he also clarified that, a total of 96.8 kilograms of heroin and cocaine were destroyed after the passing of the judgment on the suspects in regions of Tanga, Kilimanjaro, Mtwara and Liondi respectively. He said, there are still greater impacts caused due to the use of illicit drug that makes many youths to be mentally ill and this is due to high excessive use on the drug.  Their mental illness is aggravated by the high infections of the HIV/AIDFS diseases as well as liver complications among the users, a situation which continues spread widely and infects other people in communities. He noted that, in a move to fight against the use of these drugs, education on the effects over the illicit drug trafficking, counseling on the treatment to the dependent people is being issued by the government to the needy people. To facilitate the work, the government had established a Methadone counseling centre for heroin users at Mwananyamala hospital that works in collaboration with a major centre that provides the same services which is located at Muhimbili Hospital in Dar ers Salaam city. However, he clarified that, the centre has been established in Dar es Salaam for the region is the leading in having the high rates of infection in the country.

The minister of State in Prime Minister's office responsible for coordination and Parliamentary Affairs, William Lukuvi.