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Paynesville, Liberia – In the aftermath of Thursday’s massive anti-drug demonstration at the Capitol Building, the Women’s Wellbeing Initiative Liberia (WWIL), led by Mrs. Adama Sheriff Pahuja, has added its voice to the growing national cry to rescue a dying generation from the grip of illicit drugs. Declaring the crisis a generational emergency, WWIL aligned fully with the Say No to Drugs Campaign and the citizens’ petition calling for urgent and coordinated government intervention.
Liberia is under siege from an invisible war one not waged with guns but with powdered death, smoked illusions, and swallowed silence. From Monrovia’s street corners to the hidden ghettos of Grand Bassa, a dangerous web of addiction to kush, heroin, tramadol, marijuana, and cocaine is tightening its grip around the nation’s youth. The Global Action for Sustainable Development (GASD) reports over 866 active ghettos harboring more than 100,000 users in Monrovia alone, exposing the horrifying scale of the crisis.
“This is not just a youth crisis—it is a national emergency,” said WWIL’s Executive Director, Amb. Pahuja. “We are losing our sons and daughters, our future doctors, engineers, and leaders. Liberia cannot rise while her children are falling. The time for talk is over; the time for coordinated action is now.”
WWIL strongly backs the petition’s demands for stronger drug laws with stiffer penalties for traffickers, mandatory rehabilitation for users, confiscation of drug trade assets to fund mental health and prevention programs, creation of specialized drug courts, and the establishment of a National Anti-Drug Task Force including civil society, the military, and faith-based groups. The initiative also calls for robust funding for rehabilitation centers, at-risk youth empowerment, and mandatory school-based drug education programs coupled with vocational training for survivors.
Mrs. Pahuja through a release highlighted the silent suffering of women and girls, who are often left to deal with the aftermath of drug abuse as caregivers, while also being direct victims of addiction, stigma, and gender-based violence. She stressed the urgent need for gender-sensitive rehabilitation programs that address the unique struggles faced by female addicts and survivors.
Calling on the Government of Liberia to treat drugs as a national pandemic, WWIL urged full and immediate implementation of the petition’s recommendations, greater collaboration with community organizations, and direct investment in recovery programs. The organization also appealed to civil society, religious institutions, and the private sector to pool their resources and expertise for a unified national response, while calling on international development partners to support Liberia’s anti-drug fight through funding, capacity building, and technical aid.
“This is a battle we can only win together,” The release stated. “WWIL stands ready to work hand-in-hand with government agencies, NGOs, and community leaders to create a drug-free Liberia. Our children deserve better. Our nation deserves better. And history will judge us not by the speeches we made but by the action we took.”
