By Sorie Ibrahim Fofanah
President Julius Maada Bio has called on peddlers of the killer synthetic drug known locally as Kush, and other harmful substance, to “immediately stop”, saying they are profiting from an illicit trade that’s wreaking havoc in the country.
He made the call during his visit to the Government’s Harmful Drug Rehabilitation Facility in Hastings today (30 October, 2025), where he assured recovering victims of his administration’s commitment to ending the sale of harmful drugs.
“It saddens me to learn that some parents are selling Kush. I urge them to stop immediately and find a decent way to earn a living,” he lamented. He called on the judiciary and the police to take stronger action against those engaged in illegal drug trade.
While addressing drug users at the rehab, the president said: “If you destroy your future now, there will be no one to develop Sierra Leone. I see a very bright future in all of you. We want you to be better citizens than us, and that’s why we are breaking the chain of supply of these harmful drugs".
He also condemned those involved in the production and sale of especially Kush which has killed an unspecified number of mostly young people since it came to the fore around 2019.
Highlighting the government’s commitment to protecting Kush users, Bio explained how rehabilitation facilities had been established at Hastings just outside Freetown, Gondama (Bo) and Daru (Kailahun). He further explained that plans were underway to establish a rehabilitation center in Teko (Makeni).
Some parents narrated their ordeals during the president’s visit. Elizabeth Ansumana described how her son, a trained lawyer, lost his career to Kush addiction before receiving treatment through the government’s free programme, after being unable to afford private care.
Other parents expressed similar sentiments. A user, Margaret Jawara who is now serving as an ambassador against drug use, shared how peer pressure had led her to addiction in university. She credited the Hastings facility and the Ministry of Social Welfare for her recovery and return to school.
Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, said: “We are also doing family tracing to reconnect victims with their parents. Many have successfully reintegrated into their families”.
President Bio launched the Presidential Task Force on Drugs and Substance Abuse while a national emergency was declared in a bid to crack down on drugs. Police have been carrying out widespread raids on drug dens, effecting arrests and charging suspects to court. But the use of Kush persists, taking a huge toll on users.
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