Liberia: Woods Foundation Encourages United Effort Against Drug Addiction
Monrovia – As drug addiction continues to infiltrate the youth of Liberia, the Prince and Tewah Woods Foundation, a humanitarian and non-governmental organization, is calling for a collective effort to combat and mitigate this deadly menace.
Speaking recently during an anti-drug awareness program in Caldwell, Montserrado County, the foundation’s Executive Director, Mr. Prince Woods, implored Liberian mothers and stakeholders to take swift action to save the future leaders of the country before it is too late. He emphasized the need for a united front in addressing the issue rather than politicizing the fight.
“This drug menace has seriously hurt this country and is still hurting us. If we do not stop politicizing everything and stand up to rescue our young people, I am afraid to say, we are going nowhere,” Woods asserted.
Addressing over a hundred young attendees, Woods discouraged them from using drugs, specifically “Kush,” and urged them to focus on contributing positively to Liberia’s development.
“Kush,” a harmful drug, has devastated the country, leaving thousands of young Liberians helplessly sleeping or wandering the streets of Monrovia and its environs. Woods reminded the youth that they are the future of the nation and that Liberia depends on them, urging them not to fall prey to the deadly effects of drugs.
“This country depends on you, the young people, so you should not allow yourself to fall prey to the deadly results of Kush because it will not help you,” he noted. He expressed his distress at seeing young people, who should be a blessing to the nation, becoming a curse due to drug addiction.
According to Woods, Liberia’s future is at risk if the youth continue to be affected by drugs. The anti-drugs program, organized by the Movement to Promote Positive Impact (MOPPI) and sponsored by the Prince and Tewah Woods Foundation, brought together over two hundred people, including both young people and their parents. The event featured young people sharing anti-drug messages through songs and presentations, emphasizing the need to fight drug addiction collectively.
Following the ceremony, the foundation presented cash prizes and scholarships to both winners and participants, bringing smiles to the faces of parents and guardians. The program aimed to showcase the talents of young people through entertainment and divert their attention from drug addiction.
In July 2023, former President George Manneh Weah signed into law the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023, commonly known as the Drug Law, after it was passed by the Liberian Legislature following months of deliberations. Liberia reportedly has one of the highest rates of drug use in West Africa, with cannabis and heroin being the most commonly used substances. It is estimated that two in ten youths in Liberia are users of narcotic substances, often resorting to crime, including armed robbery, to sustain their drug habits.
On January 29, 2024, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, in his first State of the Nation address, declared drugs and substance abuse a public health emergency. He established a multi-sectoral steering committee comprising the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA), and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning (MFDP). This committee aims to plan and execute vigorous actions against the drug menace threatening the future of the country.
President Boakai and his vice president took the lead by undergoing drug tests, demonstrating their administration’s commitment to tackling the drug epidemic. Despite the ongoing challenges, the efforts of the Prince and Tewah Woods Foundation, along with those of past and current governments, provide hope that the situation can be brought to an appreciable level.
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