The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency has commenced a nationwide training programme for its counsellors to standardise rehabilitation practices and improve the quality of treatment offered to people affected by substance use disorders.
The first phase of the training is being held at the NDLEA Academy in Jos, Plateau State, and is coordinated by the agency’s Directorate of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation.
More than 100 counsellors from NDLEA formations across the country are participating in the exercise, described as the agency’s first major counsellor-focused capacity-building programme in several years.
Speaking at the commencement of the training, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), said the programme was designed to equip counsellors with modern therapeutic skills and improve their ability to respond to emerging challenges associated with substance abuse.
Marwa, who was represented by the Director of Counselling, Treatment and Rehabilitation, ACGN Bashir Ibrahim, said the initiative would strengthen the rehabilitation component of the agency’s mandate and ensure that clients receive evidence-based and quality interventions.
He said the training would promote uniform counselling and rehabilitation protocols across NDLEA treatment facilities while improving the clinical capacity of counsellors to deal with emerging psychoactive substances and co-occurring mental health conditions.
According to him, the programme will also focus on professional ethics, confidentiality, quality assurance, data management, peer review and clinical supervision.
“These are necessary to improve rehabilitation outcomes and reduce inconsistencies in service delivery,” he said.
Marwa said aligning the agency’s rehabilitation services with national and international standards would strengthen Nigeria’s drug treatment system and ensure better outcomes for people undergoing rehabilitation.
He added that the programme would help boost staff morale while providing counsellors with the knowledge and tools required to respond effectively to the changing nature of substance use disorders.
The NDLEA boss assured that the agency would continue to invest in personnel development as part of its broader strategy to tackle both drug supply and demand in Nigeria.
He said strengthening the counselling workforce remained essential to building a more effective and resilient drug demand reduction system in the country.
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