CJPS Concludes Day-Long Drug Awareness Meeting with Local Leaders in Gbarnga

Published: October 14, 2026

As concerns over illicit drug use and its impact on young people continue to draw attention in Liberia, Community leaders in Bong County have pledged to step up efforts to curb illicit drug use after taking part in a day‑long Town Hall awareness session organized by the Center for Justice and Peace Studies (CJPS).

The October 9, 2026 meeting, held under CJPS’s Program for Reducing Organized Substance Proliferation and Enforcing Resilience (PROSPER), brought together 50 participants including local authorities, religious and traditional leaders, and community representatives, to discuss the amended drug law and agree practical steps to reduce distribution, sale and use of illicit drugs in their communities.

Atty. Julius M. Bemah led a detailed presentation on Liberia’s new drug law, the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act of 2023. Participants said the interactive question‑and‑answer session helped clarify lingering concerns about the legislation and its local enforcement.

Following the presentation, community leaders pledged to intensify public education on the dangers of substance abuse. Hon. James Kpoyi, chairman of the Commissioners Council in Bong County, called for sustained outreach through community meetings and radio programs. Governor Dominic Yusuka, head of the Governor’s Council, stressed the influential role that trusted community figures, including traditional and religious leaders, can play in discouraging drug use.

CJPS Acting Executive Director Francis Senkpanie Konyon urged collective action and reminded attendees to report suspected drug‑related activity to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) and other authorities rather than taking the law into their own hands.

He also pledged CJPS’s continued support to help implement the meeting’s agreed action points.

Participants asked CJPS to expand the campaign to additional communities and to use radio and audiovisual materials to make awareness messages more accessible to residents across the county.

PROSPER, which runs from January 1 to December 31, 2026, is being implemented by CJPS in Montserrado, Margibi and Bong counties with funding from Civil Peace Service (CPS) Bread for the World. The program aims to raise public awareness, strengthen accountability and compliance among LDEA officers, and encourage citizen reporting and engagement in the fight against illicit drugs.

The meeting concluded with calls for stronger cooperation among CJPS, local authorities, religious institutions, families and community members to prevent drug abuse and promote safer communities across Bong County.