Liberia: Boakai’s War on Drugs Gains Momentum – Liberian Daily Observer

As the curative aspect of the fight kicks off as GOL Secures 1500 Acres for a National Rehabilitation Center for Drug Users

The Joseph Nyuma Boakai administration is demonstrating significant progress in the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse, with a focus on protecting the health and well-being of all citizens, especially the vulnerable youth population.

A multi-sector committee established by President Boakai has been actively working to address substance abuse challenges through a combination of curative and preventive measures. In a recent development, the Multi-Sector Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse announced plans to construct a national rehabilitation center for substance abuse victims and secured 1500 acres of land in Bensonville, Montserrado County for this purpose.

Additionally, a Youth Agriculture Training Center (YATC) will be established in Bensonville to provide agricultural training for individuals undergoing rehabilitation at the center. Dr. Louise Mapleh Kpoto, the Chairperson of the multi-sector committee who is overseeing the efforts, stressed the importance of implementing evidence-based practices in the establishment of the rehabilitation center to effectively combat substance abuse and support individuals in their recovery journey.

Dr. Kpoto, who is also the Minister of Health, said her team is carefully considering factors such as accessibility, suitability of the location, potential impact on the community, and resources needed for the smooth running of the facility.

The national steering committee, with the support of President Boakai, the Minister noted, will endeavor to implement evidence-based practices in setting up the rehabilitation center that would significantly contribute to combating substance abuse and supporting individuals in recovery.

We, as a committee, will continue to be proactive in addressing drug issues across the country, she said

The committee, with President Boakai's support, remains committed to addressing drug-related issues across the country.

Emphasizing the severe impact of drugs, especially KUSH, in the nation, President Boakai declared substance abuse a public health emergency, highlighting the imperative to address this pressing issue.

The declaration was made amid growing waves of drug-related deaths, involving young people and the arrests of hundreds of drug traffickers and users in Liberia regularly, concerned stakeholders have sprung into action.

President Boakai, in his maiden State of the Nations Address on January 29, observed that illicit drugs; especially KUSH are destroying the future of the country.

The drug epidemic, especially the use of KUSH, in our country is an existential threat eating away at the future of our children and the country. We must stand up and face this national security risk together. Given the need for immediate action to make good my pledge to the thousands of families burdened by this crisis, I am hereby declaring Drugs and Substance abuse as a Public Health Emergency.

The commitment of key officials, including Col. Abraham Kromah of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency and Minister Cole Bangalu of Youth and Sports, reflects the government's concerted efforts to combat drug abuse comprehensively.

Kromah disclosed to newsmen that the enrollment in the mental restructuring program will be exclusively voluntary. No one will be forced to go to the center. We will only take people who are willing to change, he said.

He added that the coding process is ongoing at the moment, a move that will help them embrace positive change. He however informed the journalists that defiant substance users categorized as regular clients, who would be found loitering in street corners would be arrested and taken to the treatment center in Bentol City.

Drug users arrested in ghettos will be processed and turned over to the criminal justice system for prosecution, he noted.

The LDEA boss however stressed the urgent need to rehabilitate substance users because according to him, 20% of the Countrys population is illegally using drugs. He said technical and security mechanisms are being mobilized for the protection of the facility and surrounding communities.

I am committed to enforcing the drug law of Liberia to the core, he said.

The Minister of Youth and Sports, Cole Bangalu, also a member of the committee, said that a more sustainable approach to combating drugs does not only focus on apprehending substance users but also on capacitating them to be more useful in society.

Bangalu noted that rehabilitation and capacity-building programs, which lead to employment and meaningful contributions to society, are in line with the governments agenda.

We are working out modalities to ensure that the process is implemented immediately. The President has said this is his priority, so we will work in line with the Presidents priority and his concern about these young people so that they can become useful citizens, said Minister Bangalore.

Efforts to rehabilitate substance users and provide them with opportunities for societal contributions are being prioritized by the government.

Technical experts and support personnel, such as Dr. Moses Ziah and Marlee Yekeh, are actively engaging in awareness campaigns and capacity-building initiatives to address substance abuse effectively.

Dr. Moses Ziah, III, a Psychiatrist providing technical support in the area of mental health, calls for publicity and educational awareness to make sure other school-going kids who are abusing drugs will stay at home and school and be treated or come for treatment.

The mental restructuring process, according to Dr. Ziah, is just a tiny component of the bigger picture lying ahead to be collectively tackled. Marlee Yekeh, a technical support team member, said she believes that at-risk youth are not zogoes but young, talented, smart, and resilient people who are using drugs and need a rehabilitation program that will bring about change.

I see them as my brothers, sisters, loved ones, and myself, Yekeh said. She said the holistic approach towards combating substance abuse will help reform the youth and make them productive. Those abusing drugs are productive citizens who need the support of the citizens to help solve the problem, she noted. The President remains committed to fighting drugs and making more drug users useful to society.

Unlike in the past, since its establishment by the President, the Kpoto Committee has been doing all it can to address the challenges posed by substance abuse through both curative and preventive measures.

During the administration of former President George Weah, Liberia witnessed a surge in the proliferation of narcotic substances, particularly the dangerous drug known as Kush. Millions of dollars worth of these illicit substances were being smuggled into the country and intercepted at various entry points.

Until the Weah administration, Liberia was not a significant transit country for illicit narcotics, but its nascent law enforcement capacity, porous border controls, and proximity to major drug transit routes contributed to trafficking to and through Liberia. While the country is not a significant producer of illicit narcotics, local drug use, particularly marijuana, is very common. Other drug usage includes heroin and cocaine. The government later reported an increasing prevalence of amphetamine-type stimulants and intravenous drugs. Then came the deadly KUSH.

However, this influx of narcotics had a profound impact on the country's youth population, leading to an increase in substance abuse among young people. In response to this crisis, the new government under President Boakai declared a war on drugs and substance abuse, recognizing it as a pressing public health emergency.

The President has committed to rescuing the youth from the clutches of this menace and safeguarding their well-being and as such his administration is dedicated to combating drugs and empowering individuals to play constructive roles in society, with a strong focus on curative measures, prevention strategies, and community engagement.

Meanwhile, the collaborative efforts of the multi-sector committee and stakeholders underscore the government's commitment to fighting substance abuse and ensuring the well-being of all Liberians.

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Liberia: Boakai's War on Drugs Gains Momentum - Liberian Daily Observer