July 30, 2025 – Monrovia, Liberia: Members of the Liberian Senate on Tuesday canceled a hearing for government Ministries and agencies-representative of President Boakai’s ‘National Multi-Sectorial Steering Committee’ on drugs and substance abuse.
The National Multi-sectorial Steering Committee is a composition of a select, but key government ministries and agencies including the Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Youth and Sports, Ministry of Gender, Children, and Social Protection, Ministry of Education, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, and the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning to help in the fight against narcotic.
Under the leadership of Health Minister, Dr. Louis Kpoto, the presidential multi-sectorial committee in February of 2024, was named and tasked with the responsibility of conducting a thorough assessment aimed at identifying rehabilitation sites for at-risk youth and, evaluating the current state of drugs and substance abuse in Liberia, as well as developing comprehensive strategies to combat drugs and substance abuse within a three-year time-frame.
On Tuesday, July 29, 2025, more than half of the front-runners on the committee including, Health Minister, Dr. Louis Kpoto, Justice Minister, Oswald Tweh, Gender Minister, Gbemie Horace-Kollie, Education Minister, Jarso Jallah, Finance Minister, Augustine Ngafuan, and LDEA Director Anthony Souh failed to appear before the Senate to present a progress report on the national response to drug abuse, including challenges and achievements to date.
The Dr. Kpoto led committee was expected to have appeared before the Senate last week but its members deliberately failed to attend the session, while designating proxies to represent them before the Senate without any reason.
Senators were seen expressing their anger and frustration in the absence of the government Ministers – something that prompted the cancellation of the hearing.
“All of these people are either Deputies or Technicians. Where is the task-force that was set up by the President? Where is the excuse that they sent to this Senate for sending their Technicians or Deputies?” Maryland County Senator Gbleh-bo Brown, questioned.
For his part, Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon criticized the executive branch for what he calls, a lack of accountability and seriousness.
“We will not entertain this thing. The executive or the national steering committee that the President trusted was constituted more than a year ago. In our view, it has shown no seriousness—none of the officials appeared, despite being in the country,” Senator Dillon noted.
The Montserrado County lawmaker furthered, the drug law is not being enforced adequately, as well as key measures like property seizures, deportations, and business closures linked to drug trafficking.
He meanwhile stated that the committee’s failure to present its programs to the Senate undermines future budget support.
“The fight against drugs is not just about dumping money. Show us the programs to be funded,” he said.
“Communities and villages are struggling to fight against drugs. Those selected by the President must sacrifice and provide the necessary information. If we continue to treat ourselves this way, then we don’t need to be Senators”, Grand Bassa County Senator, Gbehnzohngar Findley said.
Senator Edwin Snowe of Bomi County emphasized the need to send a strong message to public officials who ignore legislative invitations for no reason while they are in the Country.
“If you don’t want to be a Minister, don’t apply for the job. You can’t be sitting here and when the Senate sends for you, you send your deputies,” he stressed.
The committee has been mandated to submit all necessary documents detailing progress, and challenges to the leadership of the Senate on July 30, 2025.
