President hosts special meeting with newly-appointed Governors

President Maithripala Sirisena has said that all Governors are expected to intervene and act with reponsibility in order to achieve the expected development goals by making the public service systematic and efficient.

The President had made this remark during a meeting with Governors, Chief Secretaries of provincial councils and other officials at the Presidential secretariat yesterday (Jan 11).

District level development projects and special projects implemented by the Presidential Secretariat were discussed at the meeting.

The “National Drug Prevention Program” along with the “Grama shakthi People’s Movement” are the major programs headed by the Presidential Secretariat.

In addition, the National Program on the Protection of the Children in the Country, National Program for environment conservation, the National Food Production Program and the National Chronic Kidney Disease Prevention Program are the other projects that are being carried out under the President's instructions.

Meanwhile, several programs have been organised to create awareness on the ill-effects of using narcotics. These programs will be held during the "Drug prevention week" which runs from January 21 - 28.

The President had requested the governors to pay attention to these programs which have been tragetted in educating several fractions of the society including school children and government officers.

During the meeting, Mr. Sirisena had also said that the laws pertaining to the curtailment of the usage of narcotics was in effect since he had started his campaign against narcotis during his tenure as Health Minister.

Further, the President had claimed that the laws against the usage of narcotics were much stronger in our country when compared to other countries. He also added that he would take take every measure possible to eradicate illegal drugs.

The drug-related programs in the North-Eastern province were also reviewed at the meeting.

President Sirisena had also briefed the Governors on programs to spread the Gramashakthi People’s movement across 4000 villages during the Gramashakthi People’s movement week which starts on February 18 and ends on February 23.