3 Mins Read
The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), welcomed a statement made by the President Joseph Nyumah Boakai declaring Drug and Substance Abuse a Public Health Emergency. The President made the statement in the joint chamber of the legislature during his first state of the nation address (SONA) in Monrovia.
“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 LDEA wishes to applaud the president for the pronouncement and further welcome his call for drug testing across the government as he vows to lead the way alongside his Vice President Hon. Jeremiah Kpahn Koung.
“In this fight, me and my Vice President, we will be the first to take a drug test and I urge all others to follow”, the President said.
The statement further affirmed the decision of the LDEA as contained in the proposed amended drug law before the Liberian Senate. In part, the LDEA recommended the need to run a drug testing process as either a policy of the government or on the basis of request as per requirements. Therefore, the agency wishes that the action should not just be a need-to, but should rather be instituted as a policy or a legislation, empowering the institution for the conduct of such function. The LDEA believes that with this, they will go a long way in discouraging the culture and perception of drug use.
However, the agency wishes to inform the public that in the wake of mountain challenges in the fight against drug abuse, it views the statement from the President as timely, reinvigorating and that it sets the bases for a more transparent, accountable and robust fight against the menace.
Also, the LDEA thank the President for recognizing its role and for including the agency as a member of the multi sectoral drug steering committee.
The President also used the occasion to establish a multi sectoral drug steering committee that will work towards developing a roadmap in the fight against drug abuse, moving forward. He said, “In this direction, I am establishing a multi-sectoral steering committee comprising the following agencies:”
Ministry of Health – Chair
Ministry of Justice – Co-Chair
Ministry of Youth and Sports- Member
Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection – Member
Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) – Member
Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) – Member
Additionally, as they gear up for a more robust fight against drug abuse, they thanked the President for nominating Hon. Abraham Kromah as LDEA new Director General, saying, they are certain that with his worth of experience and professional discipline, they are of the conviction that he will deliver as expected.
Comments are closed.