By Zokar Sam Zota
The recently declared war against our national security threat, drugs and substance abuse, seems to be overwhelming the gallant men and women on the battlefield. They are losing ground and comrades; the enemy is advancing, and they are calling for reinforcements. They need backup troops to join them on the frontline. Their echoes are getting louder! They require urgent attention and a response from you, Mr. President, and the Honorable Lawmakers.
A fortnight ago, I tearfully read an open letter attributed to Special Agent Jimmy N. U. Brimah, an officer of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), addressed to members of the 55th National Legislature.
The letter was filled with emotion; every line tells a story of betrayal, neglect, frustration, and a looming lost battle against drugs and substance abuse in the country. It spoke of how an entire generation is being lost while those charged with addressing these visible national security threats continue to politicize and undermine those fighting on the frontline. He outlined the numerous challenges faced by agencies like the LDEA, including a painful lack of operational vehicles and basic logistics.
“Let me be clear: The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency is suffocating,” he wrote. “We are underpaid—insultingly so. We are under-equipped—dangerously so. We are under-supported—disgracefully so.”
S/Agt. Brimah’s letter followed the brutal death of one of their colleagues, a Liberian citizen, a father, a family man, reportedly at the hands of a mob in a community near Monrovia. He was allegedly killed while on duty. The message is clear: the soldiers are bleeding. They are painfully losing their comrades on the frontline, and they are calling for help. They need motivation, equipment, and your full support, free from politics and lip service. The fight against drugs should not be ceremonial. Drug testing should be a mandatory, continuous process, not a spectacle for showmanship or a one-time event.
President Boakai’s Declaration and Ceremonial Drug Testing
In January, early in his tenure, His Excellency Joseph Nyuma Boakai announced measures to combat the plague of substance abuse and addiction in the country. He declared the proliferation of drugs and substance abuse as a National Health Emergency, reaffirming his government’s commitment to swiftly addressing the problem at its roots. The President rallied Liberians to confront the issue head-on, labeling it a national security risk.
As part of this commitment, he formed a steering committee featuring key ministries and agencies, including the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Justice, and the LDEA. The President also mandated drug testing for government officials, starting with himself and the Vice President. They later participated in a public ceremony where both tested negative, creating headlines that conveyed the government’s supposed readiness to tackle the crisis.
A Reminder from Liberia’s Independence Day Orator
During his address on July 26, 2025, Dr. Emmett L. Dunn reminded the President and the Liberian government of the urgent need to tackle this national security risk. He stated that drug abuse is a silent destroyer of Liberia’s youth, contributing to crime, unemployment, and despair. He emphasized the necessity for immediate action, asserting, “We must act before it is too late. The issue is both a health epidemic and a national security risk.”
Global and National Statistics on Drug Abuse
Globally, drug use has been alarmingly high. According to the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s World Drug Report 2023, in 2021, 1 in every 17 individuals aged 15–64 had used drugs in the preceding year. Use has steadily increased, especially for cannabis and opioids, with opioid misuse being a leading cause of fatal overdoses.
In Liberia, the drug abuse crisis is particularly severe among youth. The aftermath of the civil war has caused significant societal fragmentation, poverty, and unemployment, fertile ground for drug proliferation.
The Liberia Institute of Statistics and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) reports that around 17% of students aged 12 to 17 have used drugs, while rising unemployment and a youthful demographic fuel the crisis. Drug abuse among Liberia’s youth is a pressing public health and societal issue, with 20% reported to be involved with narcotic substances. The Ministry of Youth and Sports has identified factors like peer pressure, poverty, and intergenerational drug use as significant contributors to this alarming trend.
My Observation on the Declaration and Drug Testing
From the evidence at hand, despite all the statistics and declarations, it appears that the fight against this national menace remains unachievable. Mr. President and Honorable Lawmakers, we cannot respond to an EMERGENCY with complexity and a “don’t care” attitude. It is time for action. The soldiers are bleeding; they need reinforcements now.
Those on the frontline are painfully losing their comrades to the enemy. S/Agt. Brimah’s letter should be a wake-up call to address the challenges being faced by the LDEA and those on the frontlines. It would be disingenuous to believe that LDEA and the foot soldiers will win the war against drugs with their bare hands. It would be disingenuous to think as a nation that we will win a war against drugs with lip service.
Mr. President, you must be intentional in addressing this challenge head-on. My Honorable lawmakers, you have the power to allocate adequate resources towards the fight against drugs and enhance accountability measures if you mean business.
Recommendations:
Provide Adequate Funding: Increase the budget for the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) to ensure they have the necessary resources for effective operations, while also strengthening accountability measures to prevent corruption.
Mandatory Drug Testing for Recruitment: Establish drug testing as a prerequisite for all recruits joining the LDEA, ensuring a substance-free workforce from the outset.
Consistent Drug Testing for LDEA Staff: Enforce regular mandatory drug testing for all personnel within the LDEA to maintain integrity and public trust. Personnel must be beyond reproach to effectively combat drug abuse.
Merit-Based Recruitment: Appoint and recruit individuals for key positions based on their qualifications and capabilities rather than political affiliations, ensuring that the most competent individuals are in charge.
Protect Frontline Personnel: Strengthen measures to ensure frontline personnel can operate without political interference, intimidation, or threats, allowing them to focus solely on their mission to combat drug-related issues.
Prosecute Interference: Implement strict penalties for anyone who obstructs or interferes with the operations of the LDEA, reinforcing the importance of their work in the fight against drugs.
Non-Ceremonial Drug Testing for Officials: Make drug testing a mandatory requirement for all government officials, rather than a one-time ceremonial event, to demonstrate a genuine commitment to the cause.
Independent Drug Testing Committee: Establish an independent committee tasked with conducting random drug tests for civil servants and public officials, ensuring impartiality in the process.
Immediate Consequences for Positive Tests: Ensure that any individual who tests positive for drugs while on duty faces immediate dismissal and prosecution, to show a zero-tolerance approach.
Regular Drug Testing in Schools: Implement mandatory drug testing in public schools across Liberia to address substance abuse early and promote a healthy environment for youth.
I want to conclude with these inspiring lines from the National Anthem: “With heart and hand, our country’s cause defending, we’ll meet the foe with valour unpretending. Long live Liberia, happy land! A home of glorious liberty, by God’s command!”
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