MONROVIA – As Liberia confronts rising substance abuse alongside the demands of post-war reconstruction, the national conversation is increasingly shifting from political rhetoric to collective responsibility. The growing prevalence of harmful drugs has emerged not only as a law-enforcement concern but also as a threat to public health, national security, economic productivity and the country’s youthful population. Against this backdrop, President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.’s intensified anti-drug campaign has attracted support from diverse sectors of society. Former Press Union of Liberia President Charles B. Coffey Jr. believes the success of that campaign, together with sustained infrastructure development and national reconciliation, will largely determine whether Liberia secures a more peaceful, prosperous and resilient future for generations to come. THE ANALYST reports.
At a time when Liberia is grappling with the twin challenges of protecting its youthful population from harmful drugs and sustaining the country’s fragile peace, former President Emeritus of the Press Union of Liberia (PUL), Charles B. Coffey Jr., has thrown his full support behind President Joseph Nyuma Boakai Sr.’s national agenda, describing the fight against harmful drugs as a battle for the “soul and future” of Liberia.
Coffey also called on Liberians to rise above political, ethnic, religious and social divisions and unite behind national development, warning that violence, intolerance and lawlessness could undermine the country’s hard-earned peace and ongoing reconstruction efforts.
The veteran media leader described President Boakai’s intensifying anti-drug campaign as one of the most consequential national initiatives undertaken in recent years, arguing that its success will have far-reaching implications for Liberia’s security, stability and long-term development.
According to Coffey, the country’s growing drug crisis can no longer be viewed solely through the narrow lens of criminal law enforcement.
Instead, he said, the proliferation of harmful drugs has become a multidimensional national challenge affecting public health, youth development, national security, social cohesion and the future of the Republic itself.
He warned that Liberia cannot achieve sustainable peace or meaningful economic transformation if a significant proportion of its young people become trapped in addiction, crime, hopelessness and other destructive social behaviors.
“This is a fight for the soul and future of Liberia and a fight to rescue young people of Liberia from addiction, crime, hopelessness and self-destruction, while protecting the security, peace and stability of the Republic,” Coffey declared.
Calls For Firm Leadership
Coffey urged President Boakai to remain steadfast in prosecuting the anti-drug campaign, cautioning the administration against allowing political distractions or vested interests to derail efforts aimed at confronting narcotics trafficking and other threats to national peace and security.
He argued that Liberia’s response to the drug crisis should not be measured through partisan considerations but by its impact on future generations.
For Coffey, the campaign transcends political parties, personalities and changing administrations.
“The fight against harmful drugs is bigger than politics, bigger than personalities, and bigger than any individual government,” he emphasized.
He maintained that the manner in which Liberia responds to the growing drug menace will ultimately define the country’s commitment to safeguarding its future and protecting its young population.
Supports Reconstruction Agenda
Beyond the anti-drug campaign, Coffey praised President Boakai’s broader national development agenda, particularly initiatives aimed at improving road connectivity, expanding infrastructure, strengthening public institutions and enhancing the delivery of basic social services.
He placed particular emphasis on road infrastructure, describing transportation networks as the backbone of national development because they connect rural communities to markets, schools, healthcare facilities, government services and economic opportunities.
According to him, meaningful national development cannot occur without sustained investment in roads and other critical infrastructure.
“Every road that connects a rural community to a major city, every bridge that opens access to an isolated population, and every infrastructure project that improves the movement of people and goods contributes directly to national development and economic growth,” he asserted.
While acknowledging the enormity of Liberia’s development challenges, Coffey observed that decades of infrastructural deficits cannot be reversed overnight.
Nevertheless, he urged Liberians to recognize and support genuine efforts being undertaken to strengthen institutions, rebuild infrastructure and improve the quality of life of ordinary citizens.
He therefore appealed for broad national cooperation with the Boakai administration regardless of political affiliation, ethnicity, county, religion or social background.
“Liberia belongs to all of us. The responsibility to rebuild Liberia is not the responsibility of the President alone,” he said.
According to Coffey, sustainable national development will require the active participation of citizens, political parties, civil society organizations, the media, private-sector institutions, traditional leaders, religious bodies and Liberia’s international development partners.
Rejects Political Violence
Coffey also used the occasion to caution against political violence, intolerance and lawlessness, particularly among young Liberians.
He warned that violence undermines national reconciliation, disrupts development projects and threatens the peace that Liberians have worked diligently to preserve since the end of the country’s civil conflicts.
“Our young people must understand that violence is not the pathway to development,” he declared.
He noted that violence destroys schools, hospitals, businesses, roads, communities, families and lives, leaving long-lasting consequences that extend far beyond immediate political disagreements.
Instead, Coffey encouraged young people to embrace dialogue, education, hard work, tolerance and peaceful democratic participation as the surest pathway to building a stronger Liberia.
He also drew a clear distinction between legitimate democratic criticism and actions capable of destabilizing national peace.
While emphasizing that government must remain transparent and accountable, Coffey cautioned against allowing political disagreements to degenerate into destructive confrontations.
“We can disagree without destroying our country. We can criticize without resorting to violence. We can hold leaders accountable while still supporting programs that benefit the Liberian people,” he observed.
He urged citizens to rely on democratic institutions and the rule of law in resolving national differences while placing Liberia’s collective interest above partisan or personal considerations.