To tackle substance abuse effectively, the Chairman/CEO of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), retired Brig.-Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa, has advocated mandatory drug integrity tests for youth corps members, individuals planning to marry, and other groups.
This proactive measure seeks to identify those at risk early on, enabling timely intervention and preventing the progression of substance abuse into addiction and related health problems.
Marwa made the call during a meeting with the Director General of the National Youth Service Corps(NYSC), Brig.-Gen. Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, who led a delegation of top NYSC officials on a courtesy visit to the NDLEA headquarters in Abuja on Wednesday, April 23.
He congratulated the NYSC Director General on his recent appointment, describing the scheme as a national treasure and a potent instrument of national unity.
He said: “The drug scourge has continued to devastate our kids, families, communities, everywhere, there is nowhere you go in the country that you do not have a drug abuse problem. One in seven Nigerians between the ages of 15 and 64, use drugs.
“You have mentioned our efforts to cut off access and availability of these drugs but beyond that we have to work with all stakeholders including NYSC to ensure drastic reduction in the demand for drugs by our youths. One of our strategies to address this is through our drug integrity test, which we are advocating that NYSC should embrace for corps members.
“As I said, while we do the drug supply reduction, we also do drug demand reduction through preventive measures, as well as counseling and rehabilitation. Now, these are important areas for further collaboration. You have introduced in the camps, the war against drug abuse clubs, which is fantastic.
“One other important area of collaboration is the question of drug integrity tests for youth corps members. It is a major drug demand reduction effort. The same way we said, if you are getting married, both the bride and the groom, should bring a drug free certificate.
“This is because it is always better to detect drug use early before it gets to addiction which eventually could get to psychiatric problems and it becomes a danger to the user and the society.”
Another collaborative initiative, according to Marwa, could involve deploying corps members with relevant expertise in Guidance and Counselling, Psychology, Nursing, and Psychiatry to NDLEA’s treatment centres across the country for their national service.
This placement, he explained, will provide corps members with practical experience and insight into rehabilitation and psychosocial services, enhancing their skills.
Responding, the NYSC DG lauded the drug integrity test proposal and assured that the agency would carefully consider the NDLEA’s suggestions for collaborative efforts.
He also promised to create guidelines for posting qualified corps members to NDLEA facilities with counselling and treatment centres across the country.
Nafiu praised Marwa for NDLEA’s notable achievements under his watch and acknowledged the ongoing partnership between the agency and NYSC, emphasizing that his visit sought to identify opportunities for further collaboration and mutual benefit.
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