Monrovia – Former Foreign Minister Ambassador Dee-Maxwell Saah Kemayah, Sr. has joined growing public calls for transparency in the investigation of the recent US$19 million cocaine seizure at Roberts International Airport (RIA), urging the Government of Liberia and security agencies to publicly identify all individuals connected to the case regardless of their status or position.
By Willie N. Tokpah
Kemayah made the call on Saturday while serving as proxy for former President George Manneh Weah during the 20th Anniversary and 25th Circle celebration of the Ambassador George Weah Global Institute of Vocational Education (GIVE) in Barnersville.
His remarks come amid increasing public scrutiny of the high-profile drug bust, which involved approximately 237.6 kilograms of cocaine allegedly destined for export through RIA. While authorities have confirmed that investigations are ongoing, they have yet to publicly disclose the identities of all suspects linked to the operation, citing the need to protect the integrity of the investigation.
The Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) has maintained that premature disclosure could compromise ongoing efforts to dismantle the network behind the trafficking operation. However, critics argue that the continued silence has fueled public suspicion and raised concerns about accountability.
Addressing students, educators, community leaders, and development stakeholders gathered at the vocational institution’s anniversary celebration, Kemayah shifted from discussing education and youth empowerment to what he described as the growing threat posed by illegal drugs across Liberian society.
“Let’s put politics aside,” Kemayah told the audience. “While we are gathered here today, some of our brothers and sisters, some of our children and relatives are being destroyed by drugs.”
Describing narcotics abuse as a national crisis, he said virtually every Liberian family has been affected directly or indirectly by substance abuse.
“I am of the strongest conviction that no family in the Republic of Liberia is untouched by the abuse of drugs in our society,” he declared. “My family is no exception.”
Kemayah warned that the proliferation of narcotics is threatening Liberia’s future, particularly its youth population, and called for a united national response that transcends political affiliations.
“The future of the youth of this country is being threatened by the availability of drugs in our society,” he said. “This should be a concern for every well-meaning Liberian.”
Turning specifically to the recent cocaine seizure, the former foreign minister urged authorities to pursue complete transparency and accountability.
“I want to call on the Government of Liberia, the LDEA, the Liberia National Police, and all related security agencies to make a full disclosure of all those, irrespective of status, who are behind or involved directly or indirectly in the recent US$19 million drug seizure at the Roberts International Airport,” Kemayah stated.
He argued that a trafficking operation involving drugs valued at US$19 million could not have been executed without the involvement of a broader network and therefore requires a thorough and transparent investigation.
“To have US$19 million worth of drugs prepared as cargo to leave Liberia through RIA is something every Liberian who means well for this country must condemn,” he said. “It is evil, and it is important that the government be transparent to the fullest extent while pursuing this investigation.”
Kemayah further emphasized that the fight against narcotics should not be politicized, stressing that drug abuse affects citizens across all social, economic, and political backgrounds.
His comments add to a growing chorus of voices demanding greater openness from the country’s security institutions as investigations continue into one of Liberia’s largest drug seizures in recent history.
The case has generated significant public interest, with civil society organizations, opposition figures, and ordinary citizens calling for authorities to identify all individuals connected to the operation and ensure that no suspect is shielded from prosecution.
For now, the LDEA continues to insist that investigators are following all leads and that disclosures will be made at the appropriate stage of the process.
As pressure mounts, Kemayah’s intervention is likely to intensify calls for transparency in a case that many Liberians view as a critical test of the government’s commitment to combating drug trafficking and protecting the country’s youth from the growing scourge of narcotics.
