From Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Drug Abuse Prevention and Rehabilitation Committee (BADAPARC) has commenced a three-day training workshop for counsellors in Secondary Schools and Tertiary Institutions in the state.
The training tagged ‘ Treatnet Training on Drug Dependence Treatment for Counsellors in Secondary and Tertiary Institutions in Bayelsa State is in collaboration with the Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency(NDLEA).
According to the Chairman, BADAPARC, Pharm (Dr) Faith Izibenua Zibs- Godwin in her remarks commended the Governor of Bayelsa State, Senator Douye Diri in his determination to address the problem of drug abuse in the state.
She explained that since the establishment of the committee, it has been carrying out capacity- building programmes aimed at addressing drug abuse in Bayelsa State.
“The training program that has brought us here is called Treatnet which is an evidence-based drug treatment program now in use in different parts of the world. As our youths are using drugs in schools, many of them need counselling and rehabilitation services hence the need to train you so that you can make this service available to students in need,” Dr Zibs- Godwin said.
She commended the Commissioner for Education, Dr Gentle Emelah, NDLEA Director from Abuja, Dr Ngozi Madubuike and the NDLEA State Commander, Mr Matthew Ewa for their support in the battle against drug abuse in Bayelsa State.
In an interview, Dr Zibs- Godwin disclosed that after the training programme drug clubs would be set-up in the various schools and equipped with the drug free manuals donated by the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NDLEA, Gen Buba Marwa(rtd).
“The whole idea about this training is that after training, we would go a step further to set-up drug free clubs in schools. The clubs would be coordinated by these trained counsellors as patrons and matrons of the clubs and the Chairman and Chief Executive of NDLEA has donated 500 copies of drug free clubs manual. The intention is to cover all the schools. It is an enormous task but we can get there.”