“Demonic”

-Disadvantaged Youth Describe Dangerous Drugs They Take In; Expressed Willingness To Be Relocated For Rehabilitation

Disadvantaged youth commonly called ‘zogos’ in the country have described the ‘dangerous drugs’ they take in as ‘demonic’ and want the Liberia Refuge Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) and the office of Montserrado County Senator Saah Joseph to help save their lives by taking them to rehabilitation center in Tubmanburg, Bomi County.

Speaking during the outreach program by the LRRRC recently, the ‘disadvantaged youth’ who gathered in their numbers said the drugs are very demonic because it is difficult to let it go, even when they plan to take such decision.

They also expressed frustration that on numerous occasions organizations have profiled them with nothing concrete done about it, but with the coming of Senator Saah Joseph and LRRRC is a dream come true for them.

“Let’s go to the center and let those substances leave our body. Nowhere have we gone that people respected us. We take empty cups, cleaning feces just to get money for drugs. This is not the kind of life our parents born us for, but it was the war that caused it. Please tell your partners that what you are to spend will not be a waste,” Isaac Johnson, a disadvantaged youth said.

Another disadvantaged young recounted that he started taking in drugs since 2007 when he was at the St. Mary Catholic School.

“Even my friends that we all grew up together are far off, but see me today. The drugs can deteriorate you, it kills your perceptions, it makes you valueless, it is the power of the almighty God that brought you to us. We have been neglected. This is my first time going for rehabilitation. I am a drug addict and a born CDCian by blood, urine, sweat. We want you people to stand firm because this substance is very demonic and to move from it is very hard. We will be on the pipe and say why are we doing this, but you don’t have the power to leave it. We want transformation,” Jerry Wiles, Jr said.

Besides the two previous speakers, the other zogos were heard chanting “we tire with this demonic thing” called drugs and we too can be like Saah Joseph, President Weah and other good people in the society. We need rehabilitation.”

Hundreds, if not thousands of several challenged youth commonly called zogos are expected to benefit from nationwide rehabilitation program already conceptualized by the Liberia Refugee Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC).

The initiative which is expected to rid many communities of the “zogos” referred to by the LRRRC as national internally displaced persons (NIDPs) or disadvantaged youth is also supported by the Liberia Institute for Statistic and Geo-Information Services (LISGIS) through statistics collection and the office of Senator Saah Joseph of Montserrado County.

LRRRC’s survey showed that 5,274 households in 46 communities with 46 pre-selected ghettos were visited recently and direct interactions were held with the internally displaced persons (NIDPs) and other individuals of interest.

The data collected and processed, male drug addicts constitute 91.5 percent of the total 5274 respondents while female drug addicts make up 8.5 percent and that it was clearly learned from the survey that male drug addicts are more vulnerable than their female counterparts.