Mukaila Ola
The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has reiterated that staff welfare will continue to be its top priority.
A statement on Thursday by the agency’s Director of Media and Advocacy, Femi Babafem in apparent reaction to some media reports alleging complaints by some staff over NDLEA’s last promotion exercise, read that welfare of officers and men would continue to be priority within its available resources.
According to Babafemi, 75% of the workforce was promoted at once in June 2021, which is the highest in any single exercise since the establishment of the anti-narcotic body over three decades ago.
He said: “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 religious balance.”
He further explained that at the due time, everyone deserving of promotion and other benefits will be considered based on available vacancies and resources. “This is 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.”