Africa-Press – Liberia. ECOWAS Ambassador to Liberia Josephine Nkrumah cautions here that Liberia and the region are losing the battle against drug abuse.
Resident Representative of the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) to Liberia, Madam Josephine Nkrumah, has cautioned Liberians and the entire sub-region of a dangerous and catastrophic situation due to limited attention given to the fight against drugs and youth rehabilitation.
Speaking on Monday, September 15, 2025, in Monrovia on a local talk show, Amb. Nkrumah warned that Liberia and the sub-region is gradually losing the fight against drugs and substance abuse, while recommending a holistic and inclusive effort void of politics.
“When we lose our youth, and we are losing them in the troops. We will be heading for catastrophe. I strongly believe that when we talk about drug abuse, our efforts to fight drugs should be void of politics. All of us should come on board. There is nobody in Liberia who is not listening to me, whether directly or indirectly. You may have a family, relatives, or friends, and so we are all attached.” She noted.
The ECOWAS envoy further urged the government and citizens to be intentional about the rehabilitation and detoxification of at-risk youth, adding that Liberia’s youth have potential.
Providing an update on ECOWAS’ involvement and contribution to the fight against drugs and substance abuse in Liberia and the subregion, she said that the Region recently launched a Social Protection framework, which emphasizes vulnerable communities and persons, including drug dependents, and the elderly, among others.
She disclosed that ECOWAS has a political declaration that was made as far back as 2008, which cataloged a model Drug Law formulation based on the Supplementary Act on Drug Prevention, but doesn’t think it has been ratified by many African countries, noting that it looks at drugs prevention, trafficking, and addiction, while addressing it as a region.
She warned that it’s important to rehabilitate drug addicted youth, but most importantly, it should be followed by career and skills development to make them self-employed or job-ready, something which she said they have realized as key.
Ambassador Nkrumah disclosed that Liberia is not the only country that is affected with the drug addiction crisis, adding that almost all the countries in West Africa are losing potential youthful manpower to drug and substance abuse.
“I am not sure we are winning the war against drugs. I think more and more, we are seeing youth who are falling into drugs. We must begin to look at drug abuse not so much as a criminal offense but more as a cancer that is eating our society and try to find a way to rehabilitate drug dependents. The criminalization of the dependents is not winning the fight against drug. We believe in embracing and supporting drug dependents.” She stated.
She recommended a standardized drug rehabilitation and detoxification center, because it’s key to determining the success, alarming that in Liberia, there is a complex adoption of methods to drug rehabilitation.
She urged that there should be a national standardized protocol and procedures for institution that seeks to work in such an area, adding that people now need to be more and more worried because Africa is now seen as a destination for drug trafficking and a transit point.
“Whether it’s a destination of transit, it’s a speew-over in the society. So, now what do we do for more information sharing, experience, and intelligence so that we can safely guide the most precious resources that we have in the subregion? I am talking about our human capital. We are joining the fight to rehabilitate to highlight a nation looking at resolving this matter, not as a matter of cause but urgency and a substantial threat to the future of any nation”, she noted.
According to her, she sees amazing potential in Liberian youth, a youthful population hungry for success and opportunity to do good things, but sometimes there is a lack of guidance.
Underscoring the need for guidance to unleash the potential of Liberian youth, she stressed that Liberian youth require guidance and skills to navigate the job market, run an enterprise, and maintain employment, as well as the right mentality that accompanies it.
“We need to invest in our youth a lot more. I am happy that with the relocation of some of the ECOWAS institutions, Liberia has been chosen to host the ECOWAS Youth and Sports Development Center, and so, I think that brings a lot of potential to the country. This is important for understanding on developing the youth”, she concluded. Editing by Jonathan Browne
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