Members of the Local Policing Partnership Board (LPPB) in the Western Area are calling on President Julius Maada Bio to take the lead in the fight against the Kush rampant in Sierra Leone.
“We want him to come out with a strong public statement and provide adequate resources to the relevant institutions to ensure the eradication of this drug out of the country,” LPPB Western Area Chairman, William Sao-Lamin said in an exclusive interview over the weekend.
He said the President’s address will bring in donor partners to help in the fight, adding that the issue of Kush is a serious one that needs holistic approach to fight it.
But the public had thought such a strategy to seek donor support is a shame to the nation to address a situation that government itself can solely handle or fix quickly if needed attention is given to kush eradication.
Mr. Lamin, however; lauded the Police led by the Inspector General of Police, William Fayai Sellu, for the positive moves already taken in the last few weeks to raid places and arrest people trading in or smoking the drug in various parts across the country.
“LPPB members want to commend the Police for their great action to arrest people doing business with narcotic drugs and destroying ghettos nationwide,” he said.
He called on officials in the Ministry of Social Welfare, Police, Judiciary, and National Drug Law Enforcement Agency to work collectively to fight to stop the importers, manufacturers, dealers and smokers of Kush and other narcotic drugs from engaging in the business of either selling or shipping the drug in the country.
Mr. Lamin said several drug cases are being handled in various courts across the country and he urged the judiciary to speed up those matters thus sending a strong message that there is no hiding place for drug dealers or smokers in the country anymore.
He called on government to rehabilitate Kush victims and provide them with kits so that they could contribute positively in society after their integration.
He said “young people are dying daily due to the taking in kush and other narcotic drugs.”
He added that everybody must come on board to fight off the drug menace.
Mr. Lamin called on donor partners to support civil society organizations to embark on community sensitization in the Kush fight.