Monrovia, Liberia – After months of intoxication and rehabilitation at the facility, hundreds of rehabilitated and abandoned adolescents are anticipated to be released from the National Rehabilitation Center for Drugs and War Affected Persons.
Retired Colonel Augustine Nagbe, the center’s executive director, revealed that his organization is unable to permanently house over 650 underprivileged adolescents, some of whom have successfully completed their rehabilitation.
Speaking during a weekend guided tour of the facilities with a group of media executives, Colonel Nagbe stated that the Liberia National Police has been notified of plans to place hundreds of youths who have been abandoned by their families and reunite hundreds of rehabilitated youths with their families.
Some parents regret leaving their kids at the facility, according to Colonel Nagbe, because it prevented them from receiving professional training that would have allowed them to support themselves and reintegrate into society.
The National Rehabilitation Center for Drug Addiction and War Affected Persons is not a torture chamber or an indefinite detention facility for underprivileged youngsters, he added.
The center offers professional skill training in a variety of fields, including hair platting, driving, carpentry, soap science, and diligent security.
Colonel Nagbe claimed that his resources are being depleted since he needs more than eight of the 25 KG sacks of rice and 30,000 Liberian dollars on a daily basis.
Nagbe clarified that he has also employed a variety of workers, including drivers, mechanics, soap scientists, and certified nurses. He provides monthly salaries to guards, cooks, beauticians, carpenters, guidance counselors, and security personnel in order to assist in managing the business.
“We would like to thank some parents who occasionally bring bags of rice and some cash for the upkeep of their children undergoing rehabilitation.”
Some of the underprivileged girls made an appeal to the Liberian government asking for help to the center in order to receive vocational training.
Konah Zorduah, a 35-year-old mother of three, admitted to reporters that her lover was the reason she became addicted to drugs. According to her, her mother refused to send for her abroad. Out of frustration, she got hooked on drugs, later, her father took her to the center for rehabilitation.
Regarding Kadibah Barry, a clever Fula girl in her early 20s, she told Reports231 that she left her parent’s home at the age of 12 because they wanted her to marry an older man.
She was disowned for her rejection, so she fled into the streets where she was introduced to narcotics by her friend, She later said. Miss Kadibah thank God for the center who took her from the Center Street Grave yard.
She called on the Fula Community and the Liberian government to help fund her training so she can learn skills that will help her thrive once she is reintegrated into society.
Another girl, Anita Mulnah, 18, stated that she became homeless due to her dance habit, which led to her being hooked on drugs through friends. She claimed to have engineered a route for bike theft in order to obtain money.
Reported by: Augustine Octavius
Contact: +231777463963
