Monrovia, Liberia — President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, who ascended to power on a platform promising to eradicate the nation’s drug crisis, is facing mounting criticism as his administration’s efforts appear to unravel just five months into his tenure. The recent suspension of Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) Director General Abraham Kromah, along with his deputies Hassan Fadiga and Gbawou Kowou, following a violent altercation, has cast a shadow over Boakai’s commitment to his campaign promises.
On Monday, May 3, the LDEA headquarters in Sinkor became the scene of a disturbing confrontation. The clash among the agency’s top officials sparked public outrage and prompted a swift response from Montserrado County Senator Abraham Darius Dillon. The influential senator from the Unity Party Alliance did not mince words, urging the President to take immediate and decisive action.
“LDEA…embarrassing! Time for action. Change or be changed. Either one or both must (should) be replaced with immediacy,” Dillon declared on his Facebook page, encapsulating the sentiment of many Liberians disillusioned by the chaos within the agency tasked with combating the country’s pervasive drug problems.
Responding to the public and political outcry, President Boakai suspended Kromah, Fadiga, and Kowou without pay, pending a comprehensive investigation. The suspension was announced via a press statement from the Ministry of State, underscoring the severity of the situation. The President’s move to install Christopher Peters as Officer in Charge (OIC) signals an attempt to stabilize the agency, but the deeper issues within the LDEA remain unaddressed.
The altercation’s roots are buried in allegations of gross insubordination, tribalism, and corruption. Director General Kromah accused Deputy Director for Operations Fadiga of recurrent insubordination and airing internal disagreements on social media. The conflict escalated to the point where Kromah reportedly had to disarm Fadiga, who was allegedly brandishing a weapon at the headquarters.
Adding fuel to the fire, Fadiga and Kowou leveled serious accusations against Kromah in a letter to Justice Minister Oswald Tweh. They claimed Kromah was protecting drug lords, favoring his tribal kinsmen for employment, and training ex-combatants outside established protocols. These allegations have reportedly led to the withdrawal of support from key international partners, including the United States Department of State Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime.
The scandalous infighting and damaging allegations have not only tarnished the agency’s reputation but have also jeopardized its operational effectiveness. The accusations of Kromah’s non-compliance and favoritism suggest a deep-seated rot within the LDEA that threatens to derail Liberia’s fight against illicit drugs.
President Boakai’s initial steps to address the crisis appear inadequate to many observers. His reliance on Kromah’s judgment in appointing deputies who are now central to the scandal points to a broader issue of leadership and accountability within his administration. The President’s decision to suspend the top officials is seen by some as a reactive measure rather than a proactive solution.
As the investigation proceeds, the Liberian public is left to wonder whether President Boakai can salvage his anti-drug campaign or if his administration has already lost the war on drugs. The need for transparent and decisive action has never been more urgent, as the nation’s hope for a drug-free future hangs in the balance.
Liberians are watching closely, awaiting substantial reforms and tangible results. The Boakai administration must now prove its resolve to tackle the drug crisis head-on and restore public faith in its leadership, or risk being remembered as yet another failed promise in the country’s long struggle against the scourge of narcotics.
