In response to Liberia’s escalating drug crisis, a newly established citizen-led movement, Save Liberia, has launched a nationwide campaign aimed at combating drug abuse and safeguarding the nation’s youth. The movement seeks to foster a robust grassroots response to the growing problem by raising awareness, educating communities, and establishing support programs for vulnerable young people.
“The fight against drugs cannot be left to the government alone. It is a national duty. Every Liberian must take part in saving our children and preserving our future,” said Alpha G. Jah, the founder of Save Liberia. According to Jah, the campaign will roll out community outreach activities, host educational sessions in schools, run media awareness drives, and provide counseling and rehabilitation services. He also pledged to advocate for stronger laws to prevent and control the spread of drug abuse. The leadership of Save Liberia stressed that only through collective action can the nation overcome the devastating effects of narcotics.
Their launch comes in the wake of the recent “Say No to Drugs” campaign march, which saw thousands of Liberians gather at the Capitol Building demanding urgent government action. In early August 2025, demonstrators—dressed in black and chanting “No more zombies” and “We tired with Kush”—flooded the streets of Monrovia in one of the most passionate citizen-led protests in recent memory. Civil society groups, student organizations, religious leaders, and grieving parents joined the march, demanding that the government declare Liberia’s spiraling drug crisis a national emergency.
The protesters presented a 12-page petition addressed to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Vice President Jeremiah Koung, Speaker Richard Koon, Senate Pro Tempore Nyonblee Karnga-Lawrence, and the Legislature. “Our beloved Liberia is bleeding from within,” the petition read. “Every day, we witness the heartbreaking sights of our family and friends lying on street corners like the living dead.” Titled “A Cry to Save a Dying Generation and Protect Our Future,” the petition outlines a 29-point plan, including an executive order declaring the drug crisis a national health emergency, the establishment of a presidential anti-drug task force, mandatory rehabilitation for users, stiffer sentences of at least 20 years for major traffickers, and the confiscation of assets tied to the drug trade.
The call comes amid alarming statistics. A 2023 report by the Global Action for Sustainable Development (GASD) revealed that Monrovia and its surrounding areas are home to over 866 ghettos, sheltering more than 100,000 chronic drug users. Activists argue that the crisis is worsened by “big hands”—powerful individuals with government connections—who protect traffickers and undermine enforcement efforts. “About 90 percent of the drugs entering Liberia are being backed by so-called ‘big hands,’” said Sekou Turay, one of the protest leaders.
“You have LDEA officers making arrests, only for a ‘big hand’ to call and say, ‘That’s my interest, let the person go.’ That’s sabotaging the fight.” Turay was blunt in his demands, saying no one should be above the law: “If the President is involved, his properties should be seized and auctioned. No one should be immune. The children of Liberia are dying, and we won’t keep quiet.” With Save Liberia now stepping forward to complement these efforts, citizens hope that the growing movement will galvanize both public and political will to finally confront what many describe as the country’s most urgent national crisis.
Author: Zac T. Sherman
