By 
Monrovia, Liberia – In a powerful two-fold statement issued Monday, August 7, 2025, the Liberian National Bar Association (LNBA) announced the release of its official list of three hundred and seventy-eight (378) lawyers certified to practice in Liberia for the year, while simultaneously declaring the ongoing drug abuse and trafficking crisis a national emergency requiring urgent and collective response.
According to the LNBA, the listed lawyers are those who have fulfilled all legal requirements and are in full compliance with Rule 5 of the Rules of Court, making them duly authorized to represent clients in legal matters across the country. The Bar cautioned the general public to exercise vigilance in securing legal services only from those included on the official list, stressing that engagement with unlicensed practitioners could jeopardize legal proceedings and the integrity of justice itself. “Only lawyers in good standing with the LNBA possess the legal and ethical mandate to offer competent representation. The public is urged to consult our official list before entering any legal agreement,” the release emphasized.
Beyond regulating legal practice, the Bar took a bold national stance on Liberia’s escalating drug epidemic, praising the thousands of citizens especially youth, women, and community groups who flooded the streets of Monrovia earlier in a peaceful but forceful march against illicit drugs. The LNBA described the demonstration as a historic cry for help and a moral indictment of the nation’s slow and disjointed response to the crisis. It warned that drug addiction and trafficking are tearing at the fabric of Liberian society, fueling crime, deepening poverty, compromising national security, and threatening the future of an entire generation. “The impact is devastating on homes, schools, institutions, and national identity. The crisis has passed the tipping point,” the Bar asserted.
Calling on the Government of Liberia to treat the matter with the urgency of a national emergency, the LNBA issued a six-point strategic framework to combat the menace. The proposals include an amendment to the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2014 to impose harsher penalties on traffickers while prioritizing rehabilitation for users; the establishment of specialized drug courts to speed up trials and divert minor offenders into treatment programs; and a robust overhaul of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) to enhance operational capacity, eliminate corruption, and ensure effective enforcement.
The Bar also recommended launching a nationwide legal awareness campaign through schools, churches, and media platforms to educate the public on the dangers and legal consequences of drug abuse, and called for major investments in rehabilitation and reintegration centers to offer hope and healing to addicts. Topping the list of recommendations is the formation of a National Drug Accountability and Oversight Commission an independent multi-sectoral body tasked with coordinating the national response and reporting directly to the Liberian people.
Beyond advocacy, the LNBA is pledging concrete action, including the establishment of a Drug Law Reform Committee to review Liberia’s existing legal frameworks, partnerships with civil society and international actors to push for reform, and the provision of pro bono legal services to vulnerable individuals unjustly accused or unable to access proper legal counsel.
Signed by its National President, Cllr. Bornor M. Varmah, the release concluded with a call to unity and shared responsibility: “This is not a fight for the government alone. It is a national fight. The LNBA stands ready to work with all stakeholders in protecting the soul of our nation and securing a future free from the scourge of drugs.”
