Welfare of staff’ll remain our priority-NDLEA Chairman

The leadership of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency( NDLEA) will always remain a key consideration of agency, its spokesman has said.

Femi Babafemi, the NDLEA’s Director of Media and Advocacy, said the clarification became necessary in the light of reports that some staff of the agency complaining over the last promotion exercise.

The NDLEA spokesman said 75% of the workforce was promoted in one fell swoop in June 2021, the highest in any single exercise since the establishment of the anti-narcotic body over three decades ago.

“It is an established norm that promotions are not only based on qualifications but also on vacancies. No law enforcement organisation can elevate all its staff at a go considering such criteria as rank structure that is based on vacancies. Only a specific number can be promoted to some vacant positions even if all are qualified and that’s why there can only be one State Commander in a State Command.

“At the highest level in the Agency, where we have nine Deputy Commanders General of Narcotics, DCGN and 25 Assistant Commanders General of Narcotics, ACGN, these positions were not only spread along geo zonal considerations but also for religious balance, Babafemi explained.

He explained that in due time, everyone deserving of promotion and other benefits would be considered based on available vacancies and resources. He said this in addition to other incentives such as provision of barracks for officers and men; life and injury insurance cover as well as working tools for drug demand control and drug supply reduction activities, all made possible by the current leadership of the agency.