MONROVIA – President Joseph N. Boakai has appointed an Interim Management Team to steer the affairs of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) following the dismissal of three top officials.
According to an Executive Mansion press release issued Thursday, August 28, 2025, and signed by Atty. Kula Bonah Nyei Fofana, Presidential Press Secretary, the Interim Team comprises DCP Fitzgerald T. M. Biago of the Liberia National Police, who will serve as Officer-in-Charge; Mr. Ernest T. Tarpeh, Assistant Director for Special Services at the National Security Agency, who will serve as Deputy for Administration and Investigation; and ACP Patrick B. Kormazu of the Liberia National Police, who will serve as Deputy for Operations.
The release stated that the Interim Team will report directly to the Minister of Justice, who will provide regular updates to the President.
The appointments come after President Boakai, for administrative reasons, dismissed Mr. Anthony K. Souh, Mr. Gwee K. Porkpah, and Mr. Sebastian Farr from their positions as top officials of the LDEA.
President Boakai expressed confidence in the newly appointed team, describing them as professionals capable of carrying out their duties with diligence, commitment, and integrity. He emphasized that the decision was taken to strengthen Liberia’s response to the drug crisis.
“This action,” the President said, “is aimed at strengthening our collective resolve and actions in achieving a country free of illicit drugs and substances, a task that the Government is committed to sustaining so as to effect a reversal of the current unacceptable situation.”
The President further urged the Interim Team to intensify efforts in preventing the inflow of illicit drugs, combating trafficking and distribution, and dismantling criminal networks across Liberia. He warned that substance abuse poses an existential threat to the nation’s future, particularly its youth, while fueling crime, violence, and instability.
Meanwhile, the President has instructed the Minister of Justice to conduct a comprehensive review of the LDEA’s structure, functions, and operations and submit recommendations within 90 days.
In a related development, the South-Eastern Alliance of Liberia (SEAL) welcomed the President’s decision, describing it as a strong demonstration of leadership in the fight against drugs.
In a statement signed by Augustine Nagbe, SEAL’s Secretary General, the group praised President Boakai for taking “timely and decisive” action, adding that the move reflects the government’s seriousness about combating drug abuse and trafficking in Liberia.
SEAL also called on the President to extend similar corrective actions to other government ministries and agencies, warning that some officials are treating public institutions like private corporations. “This undermines the ARREST Agenda and weakens the effectiveness of government,” the group noted.
The organization urged the President to conduct unannounced visits to ministries and agencies to assess how institutions are being managed. It also pledged its commitment to ongoing drug awareness campaigns across the southeastern counties and Montserrado, urging all Liberians to join the national fight against drug abuse.
