By Saminu Ibrahim
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commenced a nationwide training programme for its counsellors to standardise rehabilitation practices and strengthen clinical competencies in line with global best practices.
The training, which began at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State, is being coordinated by the Directorate of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation (DCTR) and has brought together more than 100 counsellors from the agency’s formations across the country.
The exercise is the first agency-driven capacity-building programme for NDLEA counsellors in several years and is aimed at equipping personnel with modern therapeutic skills to address the changing complexities of substance use disorders.
Speaking at the opening of the first phase of the training, the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), represented by the Director, Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation, ACGN Bashir Ibrahim, said the initiative was critical to revitalising staff morale and improving the quality of rehabilitation services.
Marwa said the training would ensure that clients receiving treatment at NDLEA facilities benefit from evidence-based and quality interventions, adding that it reaffirmed the rehabilitation component of the agency’s mandate.
He listed the objectives of the programme to include harmonising counselling practices through uniform protocols across state command rehabilitation facilities, improving clinical proficiency in dealing with emerging psychoactive substances and co-occurring mental health disorders, and aligning rehabilitation services with national and international standards.
Other objectives, he said, included strengthening ethics, confidentiality and quality assurance; improving data management for evidence-based policymaking; promoting continuous professional development through peer review and clinical supervision; and reducing inconsistencies in service delivery to improve rehabilitation outcomes.
According to him, the initiative reflects the agency’s commitment to building a resilient and well-equipped counselling workforce capable of responding effectively to Nigeria’s drug demand reduction challenges.
Marwa assured that the NDLEA would continue to invest in personnel development as part of its comprehensive strategy to combat both drug supply and demand in the country.
He added that the training was expected to improve the quality of care across NDLEA rehabilitation facilities and strengthen Nigeria’s drug treatment and rehabilitation system.
