MARWA PUSHES FOR NDLEA DRUG TEST FOR NYSC, OTHERS

The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) appears unrelenting in its quest to subject members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to compulsory drug test before deployment. This was part of the message the NDLEA Chairman/Chief Executive Officer, Brig-Gen Mohamed Buba Marwa (Rtd), delivered to the Director General of the NYSC, Brig-Gen Olakunle Oluseye Nafiu, during their meeting at the NDLEA Headquarters in Abuja. Marwa was quoted in a statement by the Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafemi, saying that "the push for drug integrity test for youth corps members, prospective couples and others is not punitive but to discourage substance abuse and provide early treatment for those who test positive before their condition degenerate to drug dependence and other health challenges." According to the NDLEA boss, “the drug scourge has continued to devastate our kids, families, communities, everywhere, there's nowhere you go in the country that you don't 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." He maintained that one of the strategies to address the drug problem is through the drug integrity test, which the NDLEA was advocating for the NYSC to 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." He said another area of collaboration is the posting of a sizeable number of corps members who studied Guidance and Counselling, Psychology, Nursing and Psychiatry to NDLEA Counselling and Treatment Centres across the country for their primary assignment during the one-year national service. Brig-Gen Marwa said the gesture would enable the corps members to acquire knowledge and experience in rehabilitation and psychosocial services. In his response, the NYSC DG said the drug integrity test was a fantastic idea, and promised to study the NDLEA proposal for possible collaboration. He assured that the scheme will develop a general guideline to post as many corps members with required qualifications to NDLEA Commands with Counselling and Treatment Centres across the country. While appreciating Marwa for the giant strides NDLEA has recorded under his leadership, he noted the existing partnership between the Agency and the NYSC, which he said his visit was to seek further means to deepen and strengthen the collaboration.