–CSO Council Tells Gov’t
The National Civil Society Council of Liberia (NCSCL) has once again alerted the Government of Liberia (GoL) about the looming danger ahead for the country if the issues of drugs are not tackled to the fullest.
The Council’s call was contained in a statement issued Wednesday, September 18, 2024, in Monrovia.
The statement comes on the heels of the recent arrest and subsequent seizure of 400 plates of compressed marijuana at Bo Waterside by the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA). According to the LDEA, the illegal substance was discovered onboard a white bus that had crossed the border into Liberia.
Preliminary reports suggest that the suspects abandoned the vehicle and fled the scene when Joint Security Officers at Bo Waterside conducted a routine vehicle search.
This is not the first time that a significant drug burst has occurred at Bo Waterside. The border crossing has been identified as a hotspot for drug trafficking. The worst case scenario is that the country has several porous border points that are not monitored, thus making it increasingly difficult for the entry of illicit drugs to be fully monitored.
The Council maintains that if nothing tangible is done to address the issue of drugs in line with the President’s pledge, the entire country’s future will be bleak.
It can be recalled that President Joseph Nyuma Boakai in his inaugural speech and first State of the Nation Address (SONA 2024), made a vow that his administration would make the fight against drugs a top priority.
In so doing, the President declared the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse as National Health Emergency as further assurance of the government’s commitment to swiftly and decisively nip the problem in the bud.
The announcement was among a series of critical measures aimed at combating the plague of substance abuse and drug addiction in the country.
But despite this pronouncement, the consumption and trade of illicit drugs continue to proliferate, evidenced by the latest confiscation of 400 plates of marijuana and previous arrests since then.
Predicated upon this, the Council wants the government to exert more practical and drastic steps that will help curtail the influx of the drugs in country.
Also as part of the means, NCSCL, which is the umbrella body of all civil society groups in the country, wants the government to make capacity building for the LDEA a key priority.
“The government, as promised, needs to take the fight against drugs very seriously. We think there is a very long way to go in this fight. We urge the government to strengthen the capacity of LDEA to be strong enough and enact stringent policies that will deter people against drug use,” asserted the release signed by Chairperson Madam Loretta Aletha Pope-Kai.
As the conscience of the larger society, the Council also promised to help the government in this fight in the area of providing education and creating awareness. This is dangerous to the state. Our children’s future will be in danger if we don’t act now. We must take necessary actions to combat it.”
