“Not under My Watch” — Pres. Boakai Launches Aggressive War on Drugs

In what is being described as the most sweeping anti-drug initiative in Liberia’s history, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has declared a National Anti-Drug Action Plan, vowing an unrelenting and non-selective fight against the surge of drug abuse and trafficking sweeping across the country.

Speaking from the Executive Mansion in Monrovia, President Boakai delivered a special presidential statement following the receipt of a progress report from the Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee on Drugs and Substance Abuse, outlining concrete strategies to confront what he labeled “an attack on our future.”

“We cannot allow the spread of illicit drugs to turn our children into victims, our communities into ghettos, and our neighborhoods into shelters for criminal elements,” the President stated, striking a firm and urgent tone.

The President commended the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) for its tireless operations, and praised civil society groups and community organizations for raising awareness and standing against the rising drug menace.

At the heart of the new initiative is a multi-pronged National Anti-Drug Action Plan, to be implemented immediately, targeting prevention, enforcement, rehabilitation, and legal reform.

Among the most hard-hitting policies is the seizure of properties linked to drug operations and the prosecution of landlords and accomplices. President Boakai warned that no one regardless of status would be shielded from accountability.

“This fight will be non-selective and relentless. No status, no title, no uniform, and no connection will protect anyone involved in drugs,” he emphasized.

Key features of the plan include: a National Whistleblower Program with rewards and protections for informants, mandatory sentencing and fast-tracked prosecution for drug-related offenses, expansion of rehab centers and reintegration programs for recovering users, freezing of assets linked to suspected traffickers in partnership with banks and massive investments in border surveillance, scanners, canine units, and high-tech security tools.

Additionally, the government will introduce anti-drug curricula in schools and initiate random drug testing in high-risk zones, reinforcing a prevention-first approach aimed at youth and education systems.

The President has also granted LDEA regional commanders six months to show measurable results, placing performance and accountability at the center of the strategy.

Despite fiscal constraints, Boakai said Liberia will “fund its own fight first”, directing national financial authorities to prioritize funding for enforcement, education, judicial reform, and rehabilitation infrastructure.

The plan will also empower the government to enforce lockdowns and raids under an updated National Drug Emergency, allowing rapid intervention in areas overrun by trafficking and addiction.

In a passionate closing appeal, President Boakai called on parents, educators, law enforcement, legislators, traditional leaders, and ordinary citizens to rally around the national cause.

“Together, we will not just fight, we will win. Liberia will not lose another generation to drugs not on my watch,” he declared.