FG Makes Drug Test Mandatory For Public Service Employment

The federal government has introduced mandatory drug testing as a requirement for employment into the public service, as part of efforts to curb illicit drug use and its impact on national development and security.

The directive was issued on Monday to permanent secretaries and heads of extra-ministerial departments and parastatals.

In a statement, Segun Imohiosen, director of information and public relations at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (OSGF), said the new condition was informed by growing concern over the rising rate of drug and substance abuse, particularly among young people.

He said the trend poses serious risks to public health, socio-economic development, workplace productivity and national security.

Under the directive, ministries, departments and agencies (MDAs) are to work with the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to conduct the tests in line with approved standards and procedures.

The policy comes weeks after Adewale Adeniyi, comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), introduced compulsory drug testing for all recruits and serving officers of the agency.

Adeniyi said the measure was aimed at preventing individuals with substance-abuse tendencies from entering the service and compromising judgement, security responsibilities and operational integrity. He added that serving officers would also be included as part of efforts to build a drug-free institution.

While mandatory drug testing for public service employment is not widely practised globally, countries such as the United States and some European nations require pre-employment drug tests for safety-sensitive roles, including transportation and public safety positions.