The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has commenced a nationwide capacity-building programme for its counsellors as part of efforts to standardise and strengthen treatment and rehabilitation services for people affected by substance use disorders.
The first phase of the training, currently underway at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State, has brought together more than 100 counsellors drawn from the agency’s formations across the country.
The programme, coordinated by the Directorate of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation (DCTR), is the first agency-driven training of its kind for NDLEA counsellors in several years.
Speaking at the commencement of the programme on Friday, the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the NDLEA, Brig.-Gen. Buba Marwa (retd.), said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the agency’s rehabilitation pillar and ensuring that clients receive quality, evidence-based interventions.
Marwa, who was represented by the Director of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation, Bashir Ibrahim, said the changing nature of substance abuse made it imperative for counsellors to continually update their knowledge, competencies and therapeutic skills.
He said the training would harmonise counselling and rehabilitation practices across NDLEA facilities nationwide through the introduction of uniform operational protocols and improved clinical competencies.
According to him, participants would also be equipped to respond more effectively to emerging psychoactive substances and cases involving co-occurring mental health disorders, while ensuring that the agency’s interventions conform to national and international standards.
Marwa said other objectives of the programme included strengthening professional 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.
He said the initiative was ultimately designed to improve rehabilitation outcomes and reinforce the integrity and effectiveness of Nigeria’s drug treatment and rehabilitation system.
“The training is critical to revitalising staff morale and equipping officers with modern therapeutic tools to tackle the evolving complexities of substance use disorders,” he said.
The NDLEA chairman assured that the agency would continue to invest in the professional development of its personnel as part of its comprehensive strategy to reduce both the supply and demand for illicit drugs in the country.
He noted that strengthening the counselling workforce remained central to achieving sustainable results in the agency’s drug demand reduction efforts.
Marwa added that the NDLEA would continue to entrench global best practices in its treatment and rehabilitation interventions to ensure that services provided across its facilities meet acceptable professional and clinical standards.
