The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) has promoted 1,311 staff comprising of 1,291 rank and file and 20 others converted to the officer cadre.

This is contained in a statement signed by Jonah Achema, Principal Staff Officer, Public Affairs, of the agency and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on Friday.

Achema said the exercise followed the completion of the process set by the Chairman of the agency, retired Col. Muhammad Abdallah, to address the backlog of promotion in the organisation.

“The conversion is also consistent with the Federal Government’s circular referenced: HCSF/EPO/EIR/CND/100/98 of September 2016, which equates HND with degrees as well as any other additional qualifications.

“The exercise is expected to spur the benefiting staff to put in their best in the service of the agency and the nation,” he said.

He also said that the exercise was in phases and that the agency would normalise “the structural disjointedness of the workforce”.

The official also said that issues of promotion and other welfare matters that accumulated over the years were inherited by the present leadership of the agency.

“Management has been meticulous in resolving them once and for all,” he said. (NAN)