By Uche Onyeali
Federal government has approved mandatory drug testing as a primary requirement for all applicants into the public service.
The directive was contained in a service-wide circular issued Monday from the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, OSGF.
According to the circular, the directive aims to insulate the national workforce from the “rising menace” of illicit drug use.
Under the new policy, all permanent secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments and parastatals are required to integrate drug screening into their recruitment protocols.
To ensure the integrity of the process, Ministries, Departments, and Agencies, MDAs, have been directed to partner with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, NDLEA.
The federal government cited the “alarming rate” of substance abuse among Nigerian youth as the primary catalyst for this policy.
It emphasised that the trend posed significant risks to several key national areas, such as public health and national security, which it said had far-reaching implications of addiction on the safety of the state.
Government said the policy would ensure that new entrants into the civil service are fit for purpose and mentally sound.
The circular highlighted that it would also reduce the economic burden caused by drug-related issues within the public sector.
The statement, signed by the Director of Information and Public Relations at the OSGF, Segun Imohiosen, reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to maintain an unwholesome and productive workforce.
