Liberia is grappling with a severe drug abuse crisis, with approximately 500 users, including children and pregnant women, living in the unsanitary environment of Central Street Cemetery in Monrovia. The area, characterized by dilapidated buildings and piles of rotting waste, was visited by a delegation of ECOWAS Parliament members on Tuesday, August 5, 2025, as part of their awareness campaign against drug abuse.
During the visit, the delegation witnessed the dire conditions firsthand, with users pleading for food and medical care. “We are hungry, and we need medical care,” they chanted in unison. The situation is equally dire in King Gray, another Monrovia neighborhood, where men and women struggle with addiction amidst graves and filth.
Despite the grim situation, Liberian authorities are committed to implementing effective solutions. According to the Liberian Drug Enforcement Agency, between June 2024 and June 2025, authorities seized 9,651 kilograms of drugs valued at $4,960,000. A major rehabilitation program is underway at the Bentol Youth Camp, which can accommodate 1,500 residents, and a neuropsychiatric hospital is under construction on a 50-hectare plot nearby.
Private initiatives are also playing a crucial role in addressing the crisis. A private individual has established a center that provides medical care and opportunities for social and professional reintegration for patients. The parliamentary delegation visited these sites to assess the efforts made by Liberian authorities to curb drug abuse in the country.