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From Godwin Tsa, Abuja
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has kicked off a nationwide training programme for its counsellors, designed to standardise operational protocols and deepen clinical competence in line with global best practices in drug demand reduction.
The training began at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State, under the coordination of the Agency’s Directorate of Counseling, Treatment and Rehabilitation (DCTR), drawing more than 100 counsellors from NDLEA formations across the country.
It is the first Agency-driven capacity-building exercise of its kind for NDLEA counsellors in several years — a development participants have described as clear evidence of renewed commitment to the professional growth of the Agency’s counselling workforce.
Speaking at the flag-off of Phase One of the exercise, the NDLEA Chairmanand Chief Executive, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Marwa (rtd), represented by the Director of Counseling, Treatment and Rehabilitation, ACGN Bashir Ibrahim, said the training was central to boosting staff morale and arming officers with modern therapeutic tools to confront the increasingly complex nature of substance use disorders.
He described it as a reaffirmation of the rehabilitation pillar of the Agency’s mandate and an assurance that clients across NDLEA facilities would receive evidence-based, quality care.
He listed the objectives of the training to include harmonising practice through uniform protocols across all State Command rehabilitation facilities; sharpening clinical skills to tackle emerging psychoactive substances and co-occurring mental health conditions; aligning the Agency’s rehabilitation practices with national and international standards; strengthening ethics, confidentiality and quality assurance; improving data management to support evidence-based policymaking; encouraging continuous professional development through peer review and clinical supervision; and reducing inconsistencies in service delivery to optimise rehabilitation outcomes.
Marwa said the initiative reflects the Agency’s determination to build a resilient, well-equipped counselling workforce capable of meeting the country’s drug demand reduction needs, noting that it would significantly enhance the quality of care across NDLEA rehabilitation facilities and strengthen the integrity of Nigeria’s drug treatment and rehabilitation system.
He assured that the Agency would sustain investment in the capacity of its personnel as part of its broader, holistic strategy for tackling both drug supply and demand reduction in Nigeria.
