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Tag: drug test

  • Fed Govt makes drug test compulsory for public service job seekers

    Fed Govt makes drug test compulsory for public service job seekers

    The Federal Government has approved the introduction of mandatory pre-employment drug testing for all prospective applicants to the Nigerian public service.

    The move, The Nation learnt, is aimed at curbing the growing menace of illicit drug use and safeguarding national productivity and security.

    The directive, conveyed through a service-wide circular issued by the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), mandates all permanent secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments and parastatals to make drug testing a core requirement in the recruitment of new personnel across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

    A statement by the Director of Information and Public Relations in the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, said under the new policy, MDAs are required to collaborate with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) in conducting the tests, in line with established standards and procedures.

    According to the circular, the decision forms part of the present administration’s broader determination to tackle drug and substance abuse decisively and to insulate the nation’s workforce from practices considered inimical to efficiency, discipline and public trust.

    The Federal Government expressed concern over what it called the alarming rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among the country’s teeming youth population.

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    It warned that the trend poses serious risks to public health, workplace productivity, socio-economic development and national security.

    There have been concerns that substance abuse within the public sector could undermine service delivery, compromise institutional integrity and weaken the capacity of government to meet its development objectives.

    The circular emphasised that the introduction of compulsory drug testing at the entry point into public service is intended not as a punitive measure but as a preventive step to promote a healthy, disciplined and dependable workforce capable of driving national development.

  • UNIABUJA VC: Students to undertake drug test before admission

    UNIABUJA VC: Students to undertake drug test before admission

    Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Prof. Abdul-Rasheed Na’allah has said that students who intend to study in the university must undertake and present a drug test before admission.

    Na’allah, who made this known at the 27th Pre- Convocation briefing in Abuja yesterday, said the institution is working with NDLEA to rehabilitate students involved in drug abuse.

    He said drug status of students is important in order to help students to be free from drugs.

    Though he said the students would not be sent out from school if involved in drug abuse, but rather be rehabilitated in collaboration with the NDLEA.

    The vice chancellor also said that 7,128 undergraduate students would be graduating at the school’s convocation slated for Saturday. He listed those that would be graduating to also include 100 PhDs, 326 academic Masters and 346 Professional Masters.

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    He said 40 students would be graduating with First Class , 474 with Second Class Upper, 944 Second Class Lower, 174 with 3rd Class and One Pass degree. He, however, said the university had banned Pass degree going forward. He added that the university would also confer Honorary Doctorate Degree of Letters on Prof. Toyin Falola of the University of Texas, Houston for his role in the development and growth of the institution and other African universities at large.

    The vice chancellor also explained that the institution would be introducing Russia Language as part of the general courses that students must pass before graduating.

    This, he said is to make new knowledge available to students.

    “The university has developed into a global university with the offering of different languages, which include Japanese, French, Portuguese among others.

    “Efforts are though being made to bring in full some of the foreign languages as degrees programmes but the varsity has made it a compulsory in General Studies that every student must study and pass a foreign language before graduation.

    “We are going to offer Russia language in addition to the foreign languages we offer. Students are made to offer and pass one of these foreign languages,”he said.

    While noting the efforts made by the university to achieve its mandates, he said it has embarked on fund raising for alumni, philanthropists and also identifying foundations that would help in sponsoring researches, trainings and others.

    He also disclosed the National Universities Commission (NUC) had approved 26 new academic programmes for the university.

    According to him the university will now offer some of the new courses starting from 2023/2024 academic session.

     The courses include Nursing, Communication and Media Studies, Pharmacy, Tourism and hospitality, Agricultural engineering ,among others.