Chairman/Chief Executive Officer of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA, Brig. General Mohamed Buba Marwa (Retd) has said that the current push to conduct drug test on politicians, workers and students is to be able to urgently provide help for those who need treatment and rehabilitation, in addition to serving as deterrence.
He stated this in his remarks while signing a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, with a firm, Primly Services Limited for the supply of free drug test kits to NDLEA in Abuja on Thursday.
Expressing happiness that the MoU is finally signed almost three years after the federal government had approved the deal, the NDLEA boss noted that “all Nigerians should be subjected to drug test; politicians, students, workers and all. We have set the ball rolling at the agency because charity begins at home.
“This will enable us know those afflicted, who need treatment and rehabilitation. Equally, it will deter drug abuse because if you know that the result of a drug test will hamper your progression in school, political career or at work, it will deter you. In the same vein, we do expect parents to make sure their children don’t get married to addicts by insisting on drug test before marriage.”
He expressed delight in the readiness by the Managing Director of Primly Services Ltd, Dr. Vincent Udenze to always contribute to efforts to rid Nigeria of illicit substances. Thanking the firm for its professionalism and willingness to partner with NDLEA in fighting the drug scourge afflicting the country, Marwa said apart from the high quality of the test kits, they are coming at no cost to the agency, adding that the company will only recover its cost from testing.