Capitol Hill, Monrovia — Citizens of Margibi County through their Legislative Caucus are calling for a review of the existing drug law of Liberia to make drug abuse a nonbailable offense.
The law is currently under review by the 54th Legislature for possible amendment. The review comes at a time of an increasing wave of illegal drug use, mostly among young people across the country.
Kakata, a major commercial hub and capital city of Margibi is one of the most affected areas with dozens of substance abusers, predominantly young people, known as zogoes crowding the streets. These young people usually target peaceful residents and commuters, snatching away their cellphones, handbags and whatever they can get away with.
In a petition to their Legislative Caucus, the citizens of Margibi County, called for the illegal trade to be a nonbailable offense. In addition, they called for the inclusion of community members, civil society organizations, the county authorities and the security apparatus in the fight against drug abuse in Kakata and other parts of the country.
The citizens also called for the empowerment of the joint committee, if established, with logistics including cars and motorbikes, as well as food to effectively carry out its task of raiding the communities of the illegal trade.
In order to reduce the over crowdedness of the Kakata prison compound and the removal of the disadvantaged youth known as zogoes from the streets and ghettos, the citizens called on the government, through the Ministry of Internal Affairs to reactivate the communal farming system so that those with minor crimes can be rehabilitated through the agricultural programs.
Meanwhile, in a communication to Plenary, the Margibi Legislative Caucus said, giving the importance of the citizens’ concern, they were affixing their signatures as a way of accentuating their citizens’ voice and showing support to the committee’s work on the drug law.