MONROVIA – Independent Societal Watch Advocates (ISWA), has demystified allegations by opposition politicians linking the Government of President George Manneh Weah to the importation and proliferation of illicit drugs into the country.
ISWA in a release, issued in Monrovia on Monday, September 18, 2023, noted that it is deeply concerned about the negative propaganda and machinations by the opposition forces linking the Government of Liberia; especially the office of the President to the proliferation of narcotic drugs in the country.
The local CSO Advocacy Group described these dumb-founded, unthinkable, and myopic, allegations about illicit drugs against the office of the President and the entire Government; especially since the very President had just recently signed a drastic drug law.
President Weah recently signed into law the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023, commonly called the Drug Law. President Weah signed the bill into law after it was passed by the Liberian Legislature following months of deliberations.
The passage and subsequent signing of the law, according to the Executive Mansion, further signifies President Weah’s commitment to fighting illegal drugs and substance abuse, a menace that has plagued the society, endangering and robbing thousands of Liberian youths of a better future.
The new anti-drug law signed by the Liberian leader aims to regulate, restrict, control, limit, or eradicate the illegal export and importation as well as the flagrant use, abuse, and proliferation of narcotic substances within Liberia.
Therefore, ISWA wonders why the very President and his Government that signed such a strong anti-drug law would engage or facilitate the importation of harmful substances into the country to harm or destroy the very citizens that the law seeks to protect.
Given the above, ISWA having conducted a week-long analysis and investigation into this frivolous allegation, thought to provide our opinion as an independent body; having found these allegations against the office of the President as political hate, mere propaganda, and distraction; only intended to sway the citizenry against the gains this Government under President Weah has and continue to make against illicit drug, harmful substances and other socio-economic vices affecting the country.
“We have uncovered that the proliferation of illicit drugs and harmful substances begin rampant under the regime of the erstwhile Unity party-led government, despite all of the best international support in all sectors of its regime; yet, the UP failed to combat the issue of drugs and now it has taken over the entire fabric of the country.”
In conclusion, ISWA categorically refutes the involvement of the office of the President, including his Chief of Protocol Ambassador, Nora Finda Bundo, in an attempt to transport several boxes suspected boxes containing contraband directly from the tarmac, using an unauthorized gate at the Robert International Airport.
Furthermore, ISWA is encouraging those perambulating the political corridors of the country with lies, to use similar energy to join the Government in creating awareness of these harmful substances destroying the youthful population of the country and also create programs of detoxification and vocational education for these young people.
ISWA), is a conglomeration of all conscious-minded and independent rights advocates, whose quest is to ensure that Liberia as a country is on the right path to perfect development and adequate independent human rights protection. Press Statement
