Boakai Fails in Drug Fight as Desperate Liberians Set to Take the Streets on August 7

Michael T
Aug 6
2 min read

The fight against drug abuse in Liberia has become a national embarrassment. When President Joseph Boakai took office, hopes were high for a real crackdown on the growing crisis. In his first State of the Nation Address, he declared drug abuse a national health emergency and launched a multi-sector committee, led by the Ministry of Health, with members from Justice, Youth and Sports, Gender, Finance, and the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).

Almost two years later, this committee remains invisible: no public reports, no notable action, and absent from public conversation.

While the steering committee sat idle, the LDEA—expected to be the front line in the fight—fell into chaos. Leadership that Boakai hoped would curb the crisis instead collapsed into dysfunction. The LDEA Director and Deputy Director publicly clashed, blaming each other for failures, even engaging in physical altercations. The highly public feud shattered trust and led to the President removing top figures amid mounting criticism for mismanagement and incompetence.

The situation is Worse than ever:

Drug addiction in Liberia is now an emergency: LDEA reports say about 1,000,000 citizens—20% of the population—are battling substance abuse1 2.
Youth addiction is surging: Roughly 2 in every 10 young Liberians use drugs1 3 4.
Among students aged 12 to 17: 17% report experimenting with marijuana, heroin, cocaine, or synthetic kush3.
Montserrado County alone: An estimated 100,000 drug users; more than 866 known “ghettos” operate in Monrovia—one in nearly every neighborhood3 5.

The damage is everywhere: crime is up, families are torn apart, and the nation’s social and moral fabric is eroding. Mothers, teachers, and community leaders plead for urgent help as entire neighborhoods teeter on the brink.

Now, as the August 7 “Say No To Drugs” march approaches, many government officials and lawmakers—those long criticized for failure or inaction—are stepping out to endorse the rally, posing for cameras and repeating familiar promises. But to community advocates and frustrated families, these gestures ring “pretentious” and “performative,” lacking real substance or follow-through3 6 7.

President Boakai declared war on drugs. But with an invisible committee, a dysfunctional enforcement agency, and no credible, unified plan, Liberia has lost ground. Drug abuse is now an unchecked epidemic, and the government’s promised system to fight it lies in scandal and silence. August 7 cannot be another hollow display—it must be a true turning point for honest, united, and relentless action to save the future of Liberia3 6 2.

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