OUR NATIONAL DRUG AGENCY vs. OUR MINISTRY OF FINANCE
"As statistics are hard to come by, no one really knows for sure how much money is involved in Sierra Leone's illegal drugs trade, except that mansions are being built by people who could hardly give account of their new found wealth." (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency)
So let's continue our discussion of issues raised in the 2014 report of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency of Sierra Leone. Let's not give it any euphemistic clothing; the report is essentially a catalogue of woes. It paints a picture of a nation on the edge of being overwhelmed by the social consequences of uncontrolled narcotic use. And as you can see from the quote above, the profits from the illegal trade in narcotic drugs is making a handful of people conspicuously rich - it's a rags to riches kind of thing - they go to bed poor in January and by the end of March of the same year, they own Hollywood celebrity-type houses in our own Malibu, IMATT and crazy SUVs on some of the worst roads in a country frequently hit by fuel shortage.
The Anti-Corruption Act talks about something called UNEXPLAINED WEALTH. But we don't know of anybody who's been brought before a court to account for their UNEXPLAINED WEALTH. We however know of a police officer who was jailed for collecting small change on the streets and primary school teachers who requested chicken feed when giving out report cards at the end of the year. Long Live the ACC!
NDLEA - Business people in the pharmaceutical, electronic and vehicle spare parts industries are taking full advantage of the "illegal drug protection ring" and using both Lungi Airport and the Queen Elizabeth II Quay for the trafficking of illegal drugs, particularly cocaine.
POLITICO - Really? Well we thought since that major cocaine trial all of this was now a thing of the past but coming from an official report like this, we have to believe it. Now we are beginning to understand why the NDLEA is so angry with the Ministry of Finance for not providing the cash for them to do their job. This thing is taking frightening proportions.
NDLEA - Military and police personnel are openly smoking cannabis at road blocks/checkpoints, especially at dust or during the night. The practice is very common upcountry. Officers deployed at road blocks/checkpoints either turn a blind eye or are themselves involved in the practice.
POLITICO - How come the NDLEA boss is knowing this only in 2014? We knew this all along. We believe it's not about turning a blind eye. It’s more about the latter - being part of the practice. That's it. We recommend that all recruits to the military and police should be tested for marijuana. Any trace of the substance in the blood should lead to the guilty being thrown out. In fact, there should be random testing, much like the tests sports people undergo. The downside to that would be that Sierra Leone would stand the risk of not having any soldiers and police. They would be caught. It's that serious.
NDLEA - Military and police personnel on United Nations peace-keeping missions abroad are engaged in the smoking of cannabis at their bases especially at night...Although other foreign contingents are also engaged in the practice, the case of Sierra Leonean contingent is notorious.
POLITICO - Is this really true? Is the NDLEA saying that of all military contingents that go on peacekeeping, LEOBATT is the most NOTORIOUS for marijuana or DIAMBA-SMOKING? Well, the NDLEA may have access to documents that journalists like us don't get to see easily. Can the boss at the NDLEA share them with the press please? If we believe this report as presented, then Sierra Leoneans should be very worried about their country being branded a narco-state, a bit like Guinea Bissau. Let's not get to that stage because the consequences could be devastating.
NDLEA - The public are now helpless to the way and manner school pupils commandeer the main streets of Freetown, normally after sports meetings, or other social or cultural events, bringing traffic to a complete standstill. They find pleasure in grabbing valuables from innocent passers-by and have no hesitation in mercilessly beating up those who dare resist or get caught up within their ranks. Even people inside private vehicles or taxis feel intimidated as they would attempt to forcefully gain access into vehicles or keep banging vehicles with their bare fists in sheer frustration.
POLITICO - We have bitterly complained about this criminality a lot over the last six years or so. And it's not just after athletics sports meetings. Whenever mask devil parades are organised for one of our many holidays, the young people turn what is supposed to be a cultural event into a free-for-all day of criminality on our streets.
We understand the NDLEA is trying to pay particular attention to that done by school pupils. The lawlessness is just unbelievable and nobody should tell us something is being done about it - totally false. We agree that narcotic drugs could be at work but poverty and greed are part of what turns our children into criminals.
The so-called Bob Marley night is the perfect day to observe all the forces we just mentioned at work. There's a lot of work to do in this country.
NDLEA - The indisputable fact is that the underlying cause of Sierra Leone's lawlessness and criminality, and bad and unacceptable public behaviour among school pupils and young men and women is clearly attributed to the failure of successive administrations to tackle the notorious illegal drug problem, especially cannabis.
POLITICO - We absolutely agree. And since the current Ministry of Finance headed by Commonwealth Marah is refusing to give the money required to tackle the drug problem in this country, we might as well brace ourselves up for the consequences. But is there something fundamentally wrong with the make-up and management of the NDLEA to warrant the Ministry of Finance to withhold funding from it? Let the ministry speak up please. We are quoting from an official report that indicts seriously, not some fantasy writing.
NDLEA - The gentry, some of whom live behind well protected walled-house and rented accommodation, and have powerful connections and run fictitious businesses in the heart of the city are the masters of the illegal cocaine trade. As statistics are hard to come by, no one really knows for sure how much money is involved in Sierra Leone's illegal drugs trade, except that mansions are being built by people who could hardly give account of their new found wealth.
POLITICO - Somehow, we always knew there was something not quite right about the goings-on behind those high walls in the rich districts of this capital. Now this official report from the NDLEA is describing some of those occupying the houses in those compounds as MASTERS OF THE COCAINE TRADE. We get that but please pass the information you have on such issues to the ACC so that we witness the first cases of UNEXPLAINED WEALTH before Joseph Kamara retires to try his hands at becoming president of Sierra Leone. He denies looking to make a bid for the high office but we are all Sierra Leoneans.
If the head of the NDLEA cannot get money from the proceeds of crime or the state coffers, he should resign now. Collecting salaries, top-up cards and fuel allowances every month is not all there is to life. The NDLEA risks becoming part of the problem if the colonel continues in an office that is treated as badly as he paints in this report. We may now be forced to open a SAVE THE NDLEA ACCOUNT to raise money directly from the public. We cannot set up structures and leave them to starve. We stand ready to launch the initiative.
(C) Politico 14/07/15
