Liberia: The Power of Collective Action - Liberia Can Defeat the Drug Crisis

What the report says

A commentary published by The Liberian Investigator and distributed by AllAfrica on 10 August 2026 argues that Liberia’s drug crisis can only be beaten through broad public cooperation, not by government agencies alone. Written by Dr. Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo, the piece frames the drug trade as a national emergency affecting young people, families, schools and communities across the country, with traffickers benefiting from the suffering of vulnerable Liberians.

The article places the current crisis in a wider historical context, citing moments when collective action shaped Liberia’s trajectory for better and worse. It points to the 1979 Rice Riot and the armed rebellion that began in 1989 as examples of public frustration helping drive instability, while also noting that organized civic pressure helped push the country toward peace during the civil war. It highlights women’s peace activism, including efforts associated with Leymah Gbowee, as well as the shared response to the 2014 Ebola outbreak.

In the current anti-drug effort, the author says the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, police, courts, schools, religious groups, traditional leaders, parents and ordinary residents all have roles to play. The article calls for investigations and prosecutions of traffickers without political interference, along with rehabilitation and treatment for people struggling with addiction. Its central message is that Liberia has overcome major national crises before and can do so again through sustained, lawful and coordinated action.