Passage of drug law: Helping DEA to help our nation

Recently, the Liberian Legislature passed into law a Bill declaring drug trafficking and abuses non-billable. The decision by the lawmakers followed a long period of delays amid the proliferation of narcotic substances and the abuses thereof, across the country. It is no secret that substance abuse continues to be a major factor of   mental derangement and social disorder- mainly among young people in country. The Commitment of crimes, including rape and armed robbery, are all results of the trafficking and use of narcotic drugs.

In our country, it is well known that the most common of the narcotics in Liberia- marijuana, is reported to be widely grown in in the east of Bong county in Central Liberia and southeast Nimba County; and efforts by the Drugs Enforcements Agency or DEA in battling such activity have yielded very little results due to  logistical problems. The Drug Law, passed by the Legislature recently, is currently before t Her Excellency, the Liberian Chief Executive for signing into law. Upon signing by the President, the law would further capacity the DEA in its fight against drug traffickers, distributors and users across the country.

While the architects of the law and members of the Legislature must be hailed for such national initiatives, it is also important for them to continue their contributions to the fight against drugs by augmenting the strength of the DEA, through increased budgetary appropriation, so as to have the agency logistically capacitated to move in all loops and corners of country in pursuit of narcotic substances.

While we believe that the wisdom of the lawmakers will indeed prevail in view of the foregoing, authorities of the DEA must also justify such confidence by ensuring that all of our ports of entry are vigilantly manned against the influx of narcotic drugs into the country, especially at our various borders where most of these substances are suspected. It must also ensure that interferences in its operations by whosoever-whether top/senior government officials or not, are publicly exposed through the media- no matter the consequences.

Even though, we do appreciate the level of strides being made by the Drug Enforcement Agency to battle the trade in narcotics, its recommitment to this effort may further encourage our Lawmakers to give it more “teeth to bite”, i.e, it must divorce itself from all forms of partiality and friendship in the execution of its duties to either eradicate or minimize the use and trafficking of drugs in Liberia. We are of the fervent belief that in so doing, its efforts could also be complimented by donor support.

Though the DEA may be absolutely under national obligation toward this direction, it is also a national endeavor of public officials and ordinary Liberians to help the agency in meeting this goal  because if it succeeds, we all do, and if it fails, we all also do; therefore, it must be the collective responsibility of all of us-Liberians, including other security apparatus and top ranking officers to join the fight against drug production, trafficking  and abuse across our nation- now that the Liberian Legislature has substantially played its part.