By: Wilmot Konah
Monrovia, Liberia: The Minister of Youth and Sports, J. Cole Bangalu, has disclosed that about 200 at-risk youths are currently undergoing rehabilitation at the Johnsonville Holding Center as part of ongoing government efforts to combat drug and substance abuse.
Minister Bangalu said the initiative is a major component of the administration’s broader strategy to address the growing challenge of drug addiction while promoting youth development nationwide.
“This government is committed to saving the lives of our young people,” he stated.“About 200 of our at-risk youths are now at the Johnsonville Center receiving the help and support they desperately need to recover.”
He further explained that vocational and technical training programs have been integrated into the rehabilitation process to prepare beneficiaries for meaningful opportunities after reintegration.
“We are not just rehabilitating them; we are empowering them,” Bangalu noted.“The skills training will ensure that when they return to their communities, they can contribute positively to society.”
It can be recalled that, recently the government led a major crackdown on illicit drugs and substances in the country, through several disadvantaged youths were arrested by law enforcers and taken to a holding center in Johnsonville.
Min. Bangalu however, disclosed that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Youths and Sports, is currently constructing a major rehabilitation center for drug addicts, with plans of dedicating it sooner to cater to drug-recovery initiatives.
He made these assertions Thursday during the Ministry of Information’s regular press briefing.
