The Plateau State Government on Tuesday warned civil servants in the state against substance abuse in workplaces, saying the practice had negative effects on productivity and development strides.
Mr Pam Danzos, Commissioner, Local Government Service Commission, gave the warning while declaring open a 4-Day Workshop for Local Government social workers with the theme: “Management of Substance Abuse in Workplace: Challenges and Prospects” held at Sarau Event Center, Hwolshe, Jos.
“The State Government is so worried and concerned over rampant cases of substance abuse amongst workers in recent times and is out to stem such practice in the bud.
“We are aware of the consequences of such abuse, hence the organisation of this 4-day workshop toward educating and enlightening our workers on the dangers of such act to their lives and productivity at workplaces, ” Danzos said.
He charged the participants at the workshop to key into the papers to be presented and discussions on the subject matter to enable them to educate their colleagues for enhanced productivity.
Earlier, in her welcome address, Mrs Violet Adama-Kaburuk, the Executive Director, Zishiya Empowerment Foundation, a co- organiser of the workshop, described the event as “apt” and “very appropriate” given the havoc substance abuse was wrecking on Nigerian society nowadays.
Adama-Kaburuk disclosed that experts from the Medical and Health fields would present various papers toward opening the eyes of the participants on the dangers being posed by substance abuse amongst workers.
In his paper, Nurse Kizito Ndak, An Addiction Therapist with the Plateau Hospital Management Board, said most of substance abuses were as a result of sheer ignorance and deliberate acts to overcome health challenges.
According to Ndak, the onus rests with social workers whom should support individuals and their families in difficult times and ensure that vulnerable people, including children and adults, are protected from harm.
“Their role is to help improve outcomes in people’s lives as they mostly work in a variety of settings within a framework of relevant legislation and procedures, supporting individuals, families and groups within the community, ” he said.
“This is because substance abuse is the overindulgence in and dependence on an addictive substance, especially alcohol or a narcotic drug and that an abuser cannot be defined by gender, religion, and ethnicity, financial or professional groups.
“Therefore, any employee has the possibility of being a substance abuser,”the expert said. (NAN)
