Amidst the fight against drug abuse, opposition leader Alexander B. Cummings of the Alternative National Congress (ANC) is calling on the government to subsidize rehabilitation centers across the country. Cummings believes that direct financial support to these institutions is essential to strengthening rehabilitation programs, particularly in Montserrado County, where the impact of drug addiction is heavily felt. The ANC political leader made the statement following a visit to the Destiny Recovery Program Center located in Battery Factory along the Japan Freeway.
The visit was part of an assessment mission to explore ways the ANC could partner with the center to support rehabilitation initiatives. Cummings emphasized that the government must take the lead in addressing what he called a national emergency, warning that Liberia risks losing an entire generation of young people to drugs if immediate action is not taken. “We are calling on the government to make this possible. Subsidize the rehabilitation centers that are struggling to implement their programs,” he urged. He argued that if government officials in the Executive, Judiciary, and Legislature are paid monthly with substantial benefits, then it is their duty, not a favor to address this crisis.
“They were elected to do what they’re supposed to do. They control the resources of the country,” Cummings stressed. His comments came after an assessment conducted on Monday, September 22, as part of a larger initiative being rolled out by the ANC Youth Congress. The program follows a recent outreach in West Point Township that engaged hundreds of disadvantaged youth battling substance abuse. Cummings is now preparing to sponsor a rehabilitation initiative that will relocate at-risk young people from West Point to the Destiny Recovery Program for proper treatment and reintegration into society. The purpose of the assessment was to determine the center’s capacity to accommodate young men and women affected by drugs.
According to Cummings, the government must play a central role in tackling the growing addiction crisis, stating that many of the existing centers are on the verge of collapse due to lack of funding and basic operational support. He described Liberia’s drug crisis as a national emergency that is not being treated with the urgency it deserves. “As a private citizen, we will try in our own small way, but it will have to take the government to treat the emergency as it is,” he said. “Only the government can stop drugs from entering the country. No private citizen can do that.” Cummings reiterated his call for the government to go after what he referred to as “the big hands and big fish” responsible for bringing drugs into Liberia. He called for stronger security measures at the borders and greater cooperation with neighboring countries to halt the cross-border flow of narcotics.
He also recommended the creation of a centralized government database to track all rehabilitation centers operating in Liberia. This, he believes, would allow the government to provide targeted support, monitor progress, and set minimum standards for the kinds of programs these centers offer. “The government by now should be providing subsidies for these centers,” he stated. Cummings added that instead of constructing new rehabilitation centers, which may later struggle due to lack of resources, the government should focus on supporting those already in existence.
He reflected on the past, noting that the government once subsidized religious institutions to help youth access education. A similar approach, he argued, should be adopted in dealing with drug addiction, which he described as a threat to national stability and the future of Liberia.
Author: Zac T. Sherman
