President Joseph Boakai

Abubakar Hashim/ Neighbouring Sierra Leone

President Joseph Boakai of Liberia has declared war on drugs and substance abuse, as a public health emergency, at his first ever state of the nation address.

The declaration is coming on the heels of an explosive wave of drug-related deaths, involving youths, coupled with astronomical arrests of drug traffickers, users and dealers in Liberia, on a daily basis.

Realising the sad development, President Boakai put a premium on drug abuse in his State of the Nation speech, through members of the 55th National Legislature at the Capitol Building on Monday January 29, 2024.

President Boakai further remarked, “the drug epidemic, especially the use of kush, in Liberia, is an existential threat eating away the future of our children and the country. We must stand up and face the national security risk together. In this regard, I hereby declare drugs and substance abuse as a public health emergency”.

To show his determination to tackle this growing menace, President Boakai has immediately set up a multi sectoral steering committee against the public health emergency.

The Ministries and Agencies tasked to tackle the menace include Ministry of Health, Chair, Justice, Co-Chair, Youth and Sports, Member.

Young boys who are into drugs

Others include Gender, Finance and Liberia Drug Law Enforcement Agency LDLEA.

To further showcase his leading determination, he revealed that, together with his vice, they will undergo drug tests, with others to follow.

He also spoke on other areas of governance, including transparency, accountability and the rule of law, as guiding principles of his style of leadership.

Expressing his “ people first and rescue” mission as enshrined in his campaign manifesto, he further revealed that “ the government faces a situation of stunted growth and non-investment in the lives of the people, hence the urgent need to focus on public service deliveries, the people, not the government, must come first”.

His speech also touched on poverty, corruption, poor infrastructure and an underperforming economy, as the other severe problems confronting Liberia today.

To tackle these other problems, he remarked that Agriculture, Roads, Rule of law, Sanitation and Tourism – ARREST- as his watchword to overcome these challenges.