Monrovia — Liberia's President Joseph Nyuma Boakai has declared drugs and substance abuse as a public health emergency in the country.
The declaration comes amid reports of growing waves of drug related deaths, involving young people and the arrests of hundreds of drug traffickers and users in Liberia on a regular basis.
President Boakai observed that illicit drugs; especially "KUSH" is destroying the future of the country.
He made the declaration when he presented his first State of the Nation Address (SONA) to Liberians, through members of the 55th National Legislature at the Capitol Building on Monday, January 29, 2024.
"The drug epidemic, especially the use of "KUSH", in our country is an existential threat eating away at the future of our children and the country. We must stand up and face this national security risk together. 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."
President Boakai further set up a multi-sectoral steering committee against the public health emergency.
The ministries and agencies appointed to the committee include: Ministry of Health (Chair), Ministry of Justice (Co-Chair), and Ministry of Youth and Sports (Member).
Others are: Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection (Member), Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (Member) and Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP) (Member).
"In this fight (against drug and substance abuse), me and my Vice President, we will be the first to take a drug test and I urge all others to follow."
He further expressed his unwavering commitment to promoting good governance.
He said transparency, accountability, and the rule of law will guide his actions as President.
President Boakai, however, vowed to fight corruption and build institutions that serve the people's interests.
"A government that is accountable to its citizens is a government that can truly serve the needs of its people."
He added that the justice system which is meant to protect the innocent and punish the guilty has been marred by inefficiency, corruption, and lack of public trust.
"I am counting on this honorable Body to pass effective legislation and support financial appropriations that will help us win the fight against corruption. Anyone caught in the act of corruption will face the full weight of the law, with swift and non-discriminatory enforcement."
People first
He disclosed that there are an estimated 70,000 employees, including appointed officials, in the Government of Liberia which command a total wage of over US$300 million annually.
He said the growth in the size of the government has not been proportional to the growth in revenue and the efficiency and effectiveness of the government.
President Boakai noted that this means that wage continues to consume a sizeable portion of the total budget, strangulating service delivery and all initiatives and obligations of the government.
'So, the government faces a situation of stunted growth and non-investment in the lives of the people. To make the government more effective and efficient, we must focus on public service deliveries. The people, not the government, must come first."
He named poverty, drug epidemic, corruption, poor infrastructure, and an underperforming economy as main problems confronting Liberia and its citizens.
President Boakai added that these current challenges present his government a unique opportunity to embark on a new journey of hope by rescuing the nation.
Vision
He named Agriculture, Roads, Rule of Law, Education, Sanitation, and Tourism (ARREST) as his government's agenda.
He said government will guide the preparation of the new Medium-term National Development Plan for the welfare of the Liberian people.
"We must harness opportunities in agriculture, roads, and other infrastructure development; improve the rule of law, rethink the education sector, improve sanitation, and unlock the potential of tourism."
President Boakai observed that creating economic linkages between these development facets and reinforcing them will help reverse years of economic downturns.
Agriculture
The Liberian leader observed that Liberia is endowed with abundant natural resources.
With over 40% of West Africa's rainforest, he stated that, the post-conflict nation is home to a diverse array of flora and fauna that should help provide economic and agricultural growth opportunities.
He maintained that Liberia is also a leader in the discussion on climate change mitigation, further emphasizing the importance of international partnerships for sustainable agricultural production and development.
"However, it is important to recognize that our available arable land is underutilized. My Government is committed to harnessing the right resources and strengthening collaboration with international partners and local farmers to improve production."
Legislative Agenda
He pointed out that his government legislative agenda is aimed at working with members of the National Legislature in doing the business of the people for which proposed legislation will be submitted in the coming months.
According to him, the Presidential Transition Act drafted in 2017 to provide the appropriate legal framework for the seamless transition from one democratically elected president to the other would be reviewed by his government.
He observed that the draft bill which has been lingering with little or no action to move it to legislation will provide the legal basis for smooth transfer of political power when passed into law.
President Boakai said a for the Establishment of the Ministry of Local Government, which is aimed at advancing modalities to operationalize the Local Government Act passed in 2018 to fast-track the transitioning of the Ministry of Internal Affairs to the new Ministry of Local Government will also be submitted.
He disclosed that the Ministry of Local Government will have the authority to drive the Government's decentralization program.
President Boakai pointed out that improving tourism is one of the pillars of the ARREST agenda.
He vowed to work with the Legislature on the status of the National Tourism Bill, pending necessary actions to complete its passage into law.
He stated that Liberia will have a National Tourism Authority mandated to draw up regulations and the appropriate governing framework for the tourism sector following the passage of the document.
President Boakai observed that the passage of the Code of Conduct for public officials has not had the full effect of the Law due to the lack of 'implementation infrastructure'.
To this end, he stressed the need for the establishment of the Office of the Ombudsman.
He maintained that when established, this office will supervise the enforcement of all provisions of the Code of Conduct and will also impose sanctions for infractions.
"We must begin looking at appointing an individual with the requisite moral standing to head and run the office."
President Boakai recalled that as part of the CBL's financial sector reform in 2023, the Bank submitted to the Office of the President a new Banking Law to replace the existing New Financial Institution Act of 1999 which was in turn submitted to the National Legislature for enactment.
He disclosed that in the coming days, his administration will work with the leadership of the Legislature to ensure the New Banking Act is passed into Law.
He pointed out that the CBL is working on a draft Liberia Insurance Regulatory Commission Act which is currently being shared with stakeholders for their input following which, it will be submitted for passage into law.
"We are also working on a draft Bill for a National Health Insurance Scheme for Liberia. The Scheme is intended to reduce out-of-pocket costs for citizens and enhance access to affordable and quality healthcare."
Road Infrastructure Development
President Boakai said expanding and improving road network remains a top priority of his government.
He added that while there has been some progress in the road and transport sector during the reviewed period, there remain considerable challenges in road development.
According to him, the total paved roads in the national road network amount to only 1,131.1km, representing 8.7% percent of the 13,000 km road network need.
President Boakai emphasized that this fact underscores considerable challenges in road infrastructure and the urgent need to fund road development in the country.
"With assistance from friendly partners, the country made notable progress in paving some primary roads, including the corridors: the Gbarnga to Salayea, the Ganta to Saclepea, the Ganta to Yekepa, and the Sanniquellie to Loguato. In addition, as of now, 37.7 percent of work on the ELWA to RIA Road Project has been accomplished."
He observed that to access all county capitals, his government will work to alleviate the problems faced by commuters using primary roads, especially during the rainy season.
He noted that this situation also causes major impediments to the economic development of Liberians, as these primary routes are major economic corridors to all parts of the country.
President Boakai said the restoration of the County Road Maintenance Stations will be a key deliverable.
"This is why we have commissioned a "NO CAR STUCK IN THE MUD" 100-DAY DELIVERABLE to make all major primary corridors pliable."
President Boakai indicated that his government's flagship road delivery program will include the Freeport to St. Paul Bridge Road.
He stressed that having received funding through the Government of Japan, government will begin construction of a 4-lane road from the Gabriel Tucker Bridge to the Freeport of Monrovia.
Additionally, he added that, the Government of Japan is expected to provide funds to expand the Gabriel Tucker Bridge to 4-lanes.
"The Government has also secured additional support from Japan for the conduct of feasibility studies for the expansion of the Freeport to St. Paul Bridge corridor. My Government will allocate funds to complete the 6.5 km Freeport to St. Paul Bridge Road."
President Boakai further promised that his government will ensure that funding from the National Road Fund is utilized to maintain and rehabilitate roads for the good of the public.
He stressed that through the contribution of Liberians who pay their fuel levies from every gallon of gasoline or fuel oil they purchase; government will continue to expand its maintenance program by maintaining the existing network and the construction of new community roads.
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He used the occasion to commend Liberia's development partners, including the European Union, European Investment Bank, World Bank, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), UK Aid, the German Government, KFW, GIZ, Saudi Fund, the Kuwaiti Fund, and BADEA as well as the Japanese Government and JICA, Swedish Government, Chinese Government and its China Aid program, Norwegian Government, Indian Government, African Development Bank (AfDb), and ECOWAS for their many contributions to the country's infrastructure development.
Health
President Boakai said his government will prioritize the availability of needed medical supplies and logistics in all public health institutions throughout the length and breadth of the nation, ensure regular, efficient, and robust monitoring and evaluation of health services to accelerate the reduction of Maternal and Newborn Mortality and establish regional diagnostic centers across the nation.
He added that government will regulate health care and pharmaceutical institutions in the country to meet international standards.
'Our recent experience with Ebola and COVID-19 requires our full support in treating national public health with utmost importance in Liberia as it relates to emergency preparedness and response. This requires a more coordinated way of building a more resilient health infrastructure to address current health challenges and future health shocks."
Education
He observed that education remains a beacon of hope, but Liberia's educational system has seen a downward spiral over the years, leaving countless Liberian children without the tools they need to build a better tomorrow.
He stressed that education is not a privilege, but a fundamental right.
"We cannot turn a blind eye to the fact that a significant portion of our population is struggling with a lack of access to quality education. And there is no other way that we can genuinely seek to successfully fight poverty without the provision of quality education for our people."
He said his administration is presently making a steadfast commitment to revitalize the educational system and would invest in education infrastructure and provide adequate resources towards the sector.
"The state of our nation is in distress, but the hope of our people is alive. We have all it takes to overcome the burden we have imposed on ourselves through greed and corruption. When we work together, there is nothing we cannot overcome as a people. This is why, I ask you the representatives of our people to join me to do the business of the Liberian people by not doing business as usual."
