By: Wilmot Konah
Monrovia, Liberia: An independent evaluation of Liberia’s national response to drug abuse and substance use disorders has recommended major reforms, including dissolving the Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee (MSSC) and establishing a National Coordinating Secretariat under the Office of the President.
The findings were presented to journalists on Thursday in Monrovia through a press statement read by Mathias Yeanay, Executive Director of InfoQuest Liberia, and James Konyor, Executive Director of Global Action for Sustainable Development. Both organizations said they jointly commissioned the evaluation, which assessed government interventions from January 2024 to June 2025, following Liberia’s declaration of drug and substance abuse as a public health emergency.
While the evaluation recognized initiatives such as public awareness campaigns, rehabilitation programs, and law enforcement training, it concluded that weak coordination, poor documentation, and ineffective monitoring significantly undermined impact. The report noted “serious systemic weaknesses,” including inconsistent reporting, lack of baseline data, limited outcome tracking, and minimal collaboration among implementing agencies.
A key recommendation is the immediate dissolution of the MSSC. “The evaluation recommends dissolving the Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee due to its inability to provide adequate oversight, enforce accountability, and coordinate a results-based national response to the substance abuse emergency,” the statement emphasized.
In its place, the evaluation calls for a National Coordinating Secretariat under the Office of the President to provide centralized leadership and oversight of prevention, treatment, recovery, reintegration, and law enforcement efforts, in collaboration with the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency. It also urges the government to develop a clear, costed National Substance Abuse Strategy with defined goals, timelines, performance indicators, and budgets to guide all stakeholders.
Financial accountability was highlighted as a major concern. Despite over US$1.43 million reportedly disbursed to key institutions, the evaluation found no detailed expenditure reports or audit evidence. It recommends a comprehensive financial and performance audit by the General Auditing Commission to ensure transparency and proper use of public funds.
The report further calls for stronger monitoring and evaluation systems, enhanced institutional coordination, targeted capacity-building, and formal integration of civil society organizations into planning and oversight. Yeanay and Konyor stressed that the evaluation is meant to support reform rather than assign blame, emphasizing that Liberia’s escalating drug abuse crisis demands decisive leadership, credible data, and coordinated national action to achieve measurable results for the Liberian people.
