By Amos Harris
The Liberian Senate’s Committee on Defense, Security, Intelligence, and Veteran Affairs has pledged stronger support to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA) amid mounting concerns about the agency’s operational challenges in combating illicit drugs.
Speaking at the Capitol Building during the week, Committee Chairman Senator Momo T. Cyrus disclosed that the Senate is pushing for increased budgetary allocation and logistical assistance to the LDEA.
He emphasized that the agency is currently battling “severe institutional weaknesses” that undermine Liberia’s war on narcotics.
The disclosure followed an in-house meeting between the Committee and the Officer-in-Charge of the LDEA, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Fitzgerald Biago.
According to Senator Cyrus, the engagement was intended to assess the agency’s progress under Biago’s leadership, examine its major setbacks, and chart reforms needed to enhance its effectiveness.
During the meeting, OIC Biago highlighted several pressing issues confronting the LDEA, including over 1,000 action agents who have worked for more than a decade without being placed on the government payroll, the absence of adequate operational vehicles, and the agency’s dilapidated headquarters.
“The situation at the LDEA is undermining Liberia’s fight against illicit drugs,” Senator Cyrus lamented, noting that unpaid agents and weak logistical capacity continue to fuel the unchecked spread of narcotics across the country.
To address these gaps, the Senate Committee has requested a comprehensive listing of the agency’s workforce, detailing qualifications and salaries, to guide budgetary interventions.
Senator Cyrus further disclosed that discussions with the Ministry of Finance have already secured commitments for the provision of 15 vehicles to the agency under the current fiscal year.
He also revealed that talks have been finalized for the relocation of the LDEA from its rundown headquarters to a more suitable facility.
Looking ahead, Senator Cyrus assured that the Committee will vigorously lobby for increased financial support in the 2026 national budget to strengthen the LDEA’s capacity at all levels, enabling it to effectively deliver on its mandate.
