by Dr. Fatima Babih
Just a few days ago, the world watched in horror as Freetown, the capital of Sierra Leone, became a scene of unimaginable distress. Thirty-two young souls, full of promise and dreams, were laid to rest in a mass grave, victims of the deadly drug called Kush.
In the aftermath of this heart-wrenching tragedy, the nation’s collective anguish turned into outrage, mostly on social media. Outrage at a government that seems more concerned with its image than safeguarding its citizens. Outrage at a government that is failing its people at every turn. The response from the Sierra Leone government came in the form of a Parliamentary hearing, a feeble attempt to quell mounting public outcry. As representatives of key agencies took to the mic, their words rang hollow against the backdrop of shattered lives and broken dreams.
National Drug Law Enforcement Agency
In a damning revelation, the Executive Director of the Sierra Leone National Drug Law Enforcement Agency laid bare the stark realities facing his agency. With a skeleton staff of only 12 and woefully inadequate resources, the agency finds itself ill-equipped to combat the scourge of drug trafficking that plagues our nation. The ED lamented that his agency did not even own a bicycle for transportation. Yet, despite their mandate, the arrest of perpetrators and seizure of contraband remain elusive, leading to the devastating scourge of deadly narcotics in the country.
Ministry of Social Welfare
Similarly, the Ministry of Social Welfare reported starting a rehabilitation center that can accommodate only 50 addicts. Amidst the wreckage of shattered lives, the Ministry of Social Welfare’s feeble attempts at rehabilitation stand as a stark reminder of governmental neglect. With resources stretched to the breaking point, the agency struggles to provide basic care for those in need. As cries for help fall on deaf ears, the promise of a better tomorrow fades into oblivion.
Chief Medical Officer
The most thorough and significant was the Chief Medical Officer’s chilling report, which paints a grim picture of a nation in the grip of a drug-induced epidemic. The exponential rise in drug-related cases, coupled with a glaring lack of infrastructure and trained medical personnel, lays bare the abject failure of Maada Bio’s Paopa regime in the face of an escalating crisis. The CMO reported that the pharmacology analysis of Kush showed a variety of components that comprised the drug, including Formaldehyde, Acetone, anti-malaria drugs, and many more in high concentrations. He said that Kush is a Narcotic that causes a variety of health failures, including organ failures.
He also shared data that have been collected at the Kissy Psychiatric Hospital on the rise of the drug epidemic since 2020. He reported that numbers have been increasing steadily, and data from just one hospital showed the following number of drug addicts:
2020 = 222
2021 = 819
2022 = 1759
2023 = 2955
Breakdown by Drug in 2023:
Cannabis = 127
Tramadol = 701
Kush = 1,865
Age Range of Addicts
The report showed the majority (75%) of drug addicts are between 20 and 34 years old. He expressed a need for medical staff training as this new health problem must be studied. Withdrawal syndrome causes patients to be violent, so manpower is a challenge, as well as space for housing patients.
The Pharmacy Board is mandated to report all substances that come into the country. It gives a license for the importation of drugs and chemicals. However, its representative did not provide any status report on the agency’s activities in the fight against drug trafficking. With each passing year, the number of drug-related cases skyrockets, leaving our medical infrastructure teetering on the brink of collapse. Yet, as the tide of addiction threatens to engulf us all, our leaders remain deafeningly silent, their inaction a damning indictment of their failure to protect the very people they were sworn to serve.
Sierra Leone Ports and Harbor
As drug cartels tighten their grip on our nation, the Sierra Leone Ports and Harbor Authority finds itself woefully unprepared to stem the tide of contraband flooding our borders. With each passing day, our sovereignty slips further from our grasp as corruption and incompetence run rampant within the very institutions entrusted with our protection.
National Revenue Administration
Even as the nation reels from the devastation wrought by drug trafficking, the National Revenue Administration’s hollow assurances offer little solace to those left in its wake. Despite their claims of success, the proliferation of contraband within our borders belies their hollow boasts of success.
Inspector General of Police
From the front lines of the battle against drug trafficking comes a cry for justice. Despite their tireless efforts, law enforcement finds itself hamstrung by a judiciary system plagued by corruption and incompetence. As drug lords roam free and our streets run red with the blood of the innocent, the cries of our nation’s youth fall on deaf ears, their pleas for help drowned out by the deafening silence of those sworn to protect them. As the IG blamed the judiciary, which was conveniently absent at the hearing, all others in the room blamed the police for the burst of the Kush pandemic in the country.
The elephant in the room
While accusations are hurled and blame is deflected, one truth remains painfully clear: the government of Julius Maada Bio has failed the people of Sierra Leone horribly. From the innocent youth trapped by the clutches of Kush addiction to the grieving families left shattered in its wake, the toll of governmental corruption and neglect reverberates throughout the nation.
Tragically, in the absence of a meaningful national action plan to combat the Kush pandemic that is destroying the human capital of this nation, Sierra Leone hovers in the abyss of ruin. Unless decisive measures are taken immediately to root out corruption and incompetence from the highest echelons of power, the fate of Sierra Leone hangs in the balance. The time for platitudes and empty promises has long since passed. It is incumbent upon every citizen of this ailing nation to demand accountability and action to combat Kush. Only through our united voices and actions can we hope to overpower the menace of the drug cartel that threatens to consume our nation.
MAMA SALONE ~ Lioness of the West Coast 