By Vaye Abel Lepolu
Monrovia, Liberia – The Government of Liberia, through its Multi-Sectoral Committee against Drugs and Substance Abuse, has intensified efforts to address the country’s growing drug crisis, which President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has declared a national health emergency.
The Committee—chaired by the Ministry of Health and co-chaired by the Ministry of Justice—includes the Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA), and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning.
Health Minister Malayan Tamba Cheiyo said the Committee has finalized an Anti-Drug Action Plan, focusing on prevention, treatment, law enforcement, and reintegration. “We are decentralizing interventions through community-level Anti-Drug Action Teams and expanding treatment facilities. Already, over 276 patients are receiving detoxification, counseling, and vocational support—completely free of charge,” Dr. Kpoto disclosed.
Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Larramand Nyonton revealed that his ministry has carried out nationwide facility assessments for rehabilitation centers. He said renovation works at the Youth Training Center (YTC) and Clay Vocational Training Center are underway, with support from the United Nations and other partners. Recently, 106 youths were temporarily relocated to a Monrovia rehabilitation camp, with government and civil society providing food and shelter.
For his part, Joseph Cooper, Deputy Executive Director of the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC), announced that 205 disadvantaged youths have been transferred to the Johnsonville holding center. He emphasized the importance of community engagement and security, noting that the program seeks to reduce stigma by referring beneficiaries as “Persons of Concern.”
Authorities say the multi-sectoral approach demonstrates the government’s determination to confront the drug epidemic, protect the nation’s youth, and build a sustainable path to recovery.
