MONROVIA - As Liberian women prepare to march through the streets of Monrovia on Thursday in a nationwide campaign against the rise of illicit drugs, ActionAid Liberia is calling for urgent systemic reforms to combat what it describes as a deepening national crisis that is destroying young lives and tearing families apart.
The women-led action, expected to draw civil society, youth groups, and community leaders, comes amid growing concerns over the prevalence of narcotics across the country and the limited institutional capacity to respond. ActionAid Liberia, a rights-based organization focused on gender equality and youth empowerment, says Liberia's current response to drug abuse remains too reactive, fragmented, and underfunded.
"Drug is a silent weapon--and a war," said Madam Elizabeth Gbah Johnson, County Director of ActionAid Liberia. "It is stealing our children, our peace, and our future. And we cannot win this war without transforming the very systems that are failing to protect our communities."
Johnson emphasized that addressing the crisis requires more than police raids and high-profile seizures. She called for a robust, gender-sensitive strategy that includes prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation--backed by the political will to build strong public institutions and social safety nets.
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Among the key pillars ActionAid Liberia proposes are:
- Strengthening institutional frameworks for drug control, public health, and law enforcement;
- Expanding access to trauma-informed mental health and rehabilitation services, especially for youth and women;
- Investing in civic education, job creation, and alternatives to drug-related crime;
- Centering women's voices and lived experiences in policymaking; and
- Enhancing collaboration between government, civil society, and communities.
"We need a national system that prevents addiction before it starts and supports recovery when it happens--with women's voices leading that change," Johnson said.
While ActionAid Liberia welcomed recent enforcement efforts, it warned that arrests alone are not a sustainable solution. The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has reported several notable busts, including the July 12, 2025 arrest of Quita Dolo Kosso at Roberts International Airport. Kosso was allegedly caught smuggling 3.355 kilograms of cocaine into the country--valued at more than US$181,000 (about L$36 million).
In 2024, the 5th Judicial Circuit Court in Grand Cape Mount County sentenced four drug dealers to 10 years each, following a series of arrests. These convictions reflect progress but also raise questions about the scale of the problem and whether prosecutions are addressing the supply chain's deeper networks.
"We acknowledge the efforts of the LDEA and the judiciary," Johnson noted. "But we must remember--enforcement without integrity, transparency, and sustained investment cannot bring lasting change."
ActionAid Liberia also urged the government to ensure that the fight against drug trafficking is carried out with the highest standards of public service ethics. Johnson warned that corruption within law enforcement, particularly the Drug Enforcement Agency, risks undermining national efforts.
"You cannot protect Liberia while profiting from its pain," she said. "DEA officers must put country above self. Their role is not just to enforce laws but to serve as guardians of our future."
The organization stressed that personnel on the frontlines must be patriotic, honest, and dedicated--echoing past criticisms of the agency's oversight and professionalism.
Thursday's march is expected to amplify the voices of women who are not only victims of the drug crisis but also powerful agents of change. ActionAid Liberia said it stands in full solidarity with the march and emphasized that women must be central to drug policy decisions.
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"We are not just mourning the loss of our children to drugs," one rally organizer told The Liberian Investigator. "We are rising up to reclaim our communities."
ActionAid Liberia is part of the global ActionAid federation, operating in more than 40 countries to end poverty and injustice. The Liberia office focuses on social justice, gender equity, and eradicating the structural causes of poverty.
"We are not waiting for the world to fix Liberia's problems," Johnson concluded. "We are building solutions from the ground up--starting with the voices of women."
The organization called on President Joseph Boakai's administration to match public promises with long-term investments in public health, youth empowerment, and institutional reform.
"Liberia cannot afford to lose another generation to addiction and neglect," Johnson said. "This is a fight we must all own--together."
