Liberia: Rep. Johnson Raises Concerns About Investigative Report in LDEA Saga

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…House’s Plenary Agreed to Invite Justice Minister Oswald Tweh and Two Others for Questioning…

CAPITOL HILL, MONROVIA: The delay in publication of an investigative report of the incident involving the three suspended Directors of the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency has surfaced on the floor for discussion in the Chamber of the House of Representatives through a communication from Grand Gedeh County District 2 Representative Marie Johnson who has written the Plenary of the body to invite the MinisterJustice, State and Presidential Affairs Minister, and the Legal Advisor to the President to provide information relating to the status of the report.

In her communication dated 5th September 2024 to House Speaker Cllr. Jonathan F. Koffa, the South-Eastern Liberia County lawmaker stressed that she has thought to bring the Plenary’s attention to the delay in a report from the investigation of the incident at the Liberia Drugs Enforcement Agency (LDEA) where the three Directors were suspended President Joseph Nyumah Boakai.

Hon. Marie Johnson – Representative, District 2, Grand Gedeh County

It can be recalled that President Joseph Boakai suspended the three officials as a result of commotions which necessitated a mandate to the Ministry of Justice to conduct an investigation and subsequent report to be submitted.

Rep. Johnson further revealed that since the suspension of the three officials whose responsibilities were meant to fight against illicit drugs across the country, the country continues to witness the influx of illicit drugs, especially with the recent arrest made at the Roberts International Air Port and the Liberia Sierra Leone borders where a huge quantities of drugs which places a negative impact on Liberia’s youthful populations with a growing concern from the Liberian populace on the status of the report and its recommendation thereto.

In our collective efforts to ensure a successful fight against illicit drugs across the country, the President has constituted the formation of a steering committee comprising of government ministries and agencies to tackle the issue of illicit drugs.” Representative Johnson’s Communication read.

She moreover reminded her colleagues that during the first State of the Nation Address by the President, he declared drug abuse as an “existential threat and national security risk that needs urgent attention in tackling the crisis, particularly the use of “KUSH”, a synthetic drug causing significant harm among young Liberians.

She noted that with an assurance to the fight against illicit drugs, she’s concerned with the report on those suspended individuals and the agency in succeeding in the anti-drugs fight.

According to her, she is concerned because of the significant disadvantages associated with the use of illicit drugs, which led to the establishment of the LDEA through legislation enacted by the body.

I request that the Minister of Justice, Minister of State for Presidential Affairs, and the Legal Advisor to the President be made to appear before this honorable body to explain the status of the investigation into the case of the Director and his two deputies. This is in recognition of the fact that the people of Liberia are deeply concerned about this matter.” She concluded.

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