Thousands of Liberians marched through the streets of Monrovia on Thursday, demanding that government declare the country’s escalating drug crisis a national pandemic.
Under the banner “Say No to Drugs,” the demonstrators called for significant legislative and executive actions to combat what they describe as a threat more perilous than war.
The march culminated in the presentation of a petition titled “A Cry to Save a Dying Generation and Protect Our Future,” urging authorities to tackle the drug crisis with the same intensity and urgency shown during previous national health emergencies such as Ebola and COVID-19.
“Our beloved Liberia is bleeding from within,” the petition states, highlighting the alarming and heartbreaking realities of drug addiction, which has turned streets into makeshift shelters for many afflicted by substance use.
The petition directed to President Joseph Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah Koung, and members of the Legislature, outlinined a series of bold proposals to curtail the rampant drug problem.
Key demands include a Presidential Executive Order declaring drugs a national pandemic, the establishment of a joint Anti-Drug Task Force, and a minimum 20-year sentence for first-degree drug felonies.
Additional requests call for a specialized drug court, the creation of a national anti-drug agency, and the reduction of customs tariffs on drug treatment supplies.
The petitioners also insisted that all drug rehabilitation services in public facilities be made free of charge, and that a portion of revenues from alcohol, tobacco, and gambling taxes be allocated to an Anti-Drug Fund.
Citing a report from the Global Action for Sustainable Development, the petition asserts that there are over 866 ghettos in and around Monrovia, housing more than 100,000 chronic drug users.
It warns that drug traffickers continue to operate with impunity, protected by weak laws and corrupt practices among authorities.
“We are not asking for vengeance. We are asking for justice and protection,” the petitioners proclaimed. “If you fail to act, Liberia will lose its next generation.”
In response to the growing concerns surrounding drug abuse and trafficking, President Boakai late Wednesday night unveiled an aggressive National Anti-Drug Action Plan. He characterized the ongoing drug crisis as “an attack on our future” and pledged his unwavering commitment to protecting Liberia’s youth and communities.
“The spread of illicit drugs cannot turn our children into victims, our communities into ghettos, and our neighborhoods into shelters for criminal elements,” he asserted, calling on all Liberians to unite in a concerted effort to combat the crisis.
The newly announced action plan encompasses a range of initiatives aimed at curbing drug issues, including:
– Seizing properties linked to drug activities and prosecuting landlords and accomplices.
– Implementing performance mandates for regional commanders of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) with a six-month results deadline.
– Establishing a National Whistleblower Program that offers cash rewards and protection for informants.
– Fast-tracking drug cases through the judicial system with mandatory sentencing.
– Expanding rehabilitation centers and programs for recovering users.
– Investing in border surveillance and security technologies.
– Introducing an anti-drug curriculum in schools and conducting random drug testing in high-risk areas.
– Reinforcing the national drug emergency, allowing necessary raids and lockdowns.
