Bong County authorities with support from Liberia’s joint security forces, have launched a county-wide “Say No to Drugs” campaign to tackle rising substance abuse.
The ceremony took place on September 19, 2025, at the David Kuyon Sports Stadium in Gbarnga. It brought together students, community leaders, civil society groups, and law enforcement officers.
Superintendent Loileyah Hawa Norris described the campaign in her speech as a “call to action” to protect the future of Bong County and Liberia.
She warned that drug abuse was destroying communities and harming peace and urged leaders not to publicly condemn drugs while secretly benefiting from the trade. She also called for a rehabilitation center to help addicts and insisted that the law should apply equally to traffickers and users.
Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency Deputy Commissioner, Fitzgerald Biago, spoke at the launch, assuring the citizens of Bong County that the LDEA, under his leadership, would break up trafficking networks and prosecute offenders.
He emphasized that success would require cooperation from parents, schools, security agencies, and community groups, along with education to help prevent young people from falling into addiction.
In his closing remarks, Gbarnga Mayor, Galai Varpliah, stated that the campaign relied on citizens’ involvement.
He noted that most intelligence leading to arrests comes from the public and warned that even officials could face scrutiny if they helped traffickers, insisting that all vehicles, including official ones, should be checked at security points.
The “Say No to Drugs” initiative will include school outreach, community awareness efforts, and coordinated security patrols.
At the end of the launch, local officers praised the effort and promised to work with county leadership and security forces to reduce substance abuse that threatens the future of Bong County’s youth.