The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in Abia State has called for stronger collaboration with the National Directorate of Employment (NDE) to support the reintegration of rehabilitated drug users through skill acquisition and employment opportunities.
Commander of the NDLEA Abia State Command, Chilee Chigbu, made the appeal during a courtesy visit to the State Coordinator of NDE, Nwachukwu Tessy.
Chigbu said the command operates one of the largest and most effective rehabilitation centres in Nigeria, where individuals battling drug addiction undergo treatment and recovery programmes.
She noted, however, that rehabilitation alone is not sufficient without structured reintegration support that enables recovering individuals to rebuild their lives.
According to the NDLEA commander, equipping rehabilitated drug users with practical vocational skills will help them adjust better during and after recovery from addiction.
She urged the NDE to introduce skill acquisition programmes for individuals currently undergoing treatment at the NDLEA rehabilitation facility.
Chigbu also appealed for employment opportunities for rehabilitated individuals, stressing that productive engagement is essential in preventing relapse.
“Providing rehabilitated persons with employable skills and job opportunities will help them remain productive members of society and reduce the likelihood of returning to substance abuse,” she said.
Responding, the Abia State Coordinator of the NDE, Tessy, assured the NDLEA of the agency’s readiness to collaborate in supporting rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives.
She explained that the NDE has professional trainers across the state who are capable of delivering skill acquisition programmes in more than 80 different vocational areas.
Tessy expressed optimism that the partnership would help empower rehabilitated individuals with sustainable livelihoods while strengthening efforts to address drug abuse and unemployment in the state.
