MONROVIA – Senator Momo Cyrus, Chairman of the Senate Committee on National Security, Defense Intelligence and Veteran Affairs, has vowed that the Senate will not be influenced by political connections or party loyalty in confirming nominees to head the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).
By Obediah Johnson, [email protected], and Gerald C. Koinyeneh, [email protected]
“It’s not going to be a business as usual where people call us and ask us for favor because of party line or some connections,” Sen. Cyrus declared. “This time around, those that would be nominated to take over the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency have to be professional people. We will make sure that that confirmation speaks to honesty and those that will be nominated go through the formality and have the pedigree, necessary ability and the technical skills and ability to manage the LDEA.”
His statement comes amid heightened concerns over Liberia’s worsening drug crisis, which national and international partners have described as an “existential threat” to the country’s stability.
A 2023 report by the Global Action for Sustainable Development (GASD) highlighted that Monrovia alone hosts over 866 ghettos and a home to more than 100,000 chronic drug users. These drug dens have become breeding grounds for crime, poverty, and hopelessness, while the traffickers and dealers profit with impunity, shielded by weak laws, lenient sentencing, and corruption within the system.
The call for professional leadership at the LDEA is seen as crucial to tackling drug trafficking and rehabilitation challenges.
The Boakai-Koung administration has made the fight against drug addiction and trafficking a top priority, but frequent leadership crises at the LDEA have continued to hamper progress. In August, President Boakai dismissed the agency’s leadership and appointed an interim management team of security professionals to strengthen the country’s response.
Those removed included Anthony K. Souh, Director General; Gwee K. Porkpah, Deputy Director General for Administration; and Sebastian Farr, Deputy Director General for Operations. The Executive Mansion said the dismissals were part of efforts to revamp the LDEA and restore public confidence amid a surge in illicit drug trafficking—particularly the spread of synthetic substances such as kush.
To fill the vacuum, President Boakai appointed Deputy Commissioner of Police Fitzgerald T. M. Biago as Officer-in-Charge (OIC); Ernest T. Tarpeh, Assistant Director for Special Services at the NSA, as Deputy for Administration and Investigation; and Assistant Commissioner of Police Patrick B. Kormazu as Deputy for Operations.
This was not the first shakeup at the LDEA under Boakai. In 2024, he dismissed Director General Abraham Kromah and deputies Hassan Fadiga and Gbawou Kowou following a Justice Ministry investigation into a violent disturbance at the agency’s headquarters.
Against this backdrop, Sen. Cyrus warned that the Senate will subject any new nominees to rigorous scrutiny. He disclosed that in the past, members of the executive and legislature placed calls to senators to influence confirmation decisions. “When nominees come here at some point in time, the chair of the committee receives calls in favor of the nominees. This is an open secret,” he revealed.
The Senator raised the alarm shortly after meeting with the acting LDEA leadership at his Capitol Building office on Wednesday, September 17, 2025. The meeting, he said, was intended to discuss the agency’s challenges, gains, and support needed in the fight against drugs.
Cyrus praised the interim management team’s plans and promised committee support. He, however, called for better pay for LDEA agents, noting that poor salaries demotivate them and raise integrity concerns. He also emphasized the need for assessing agents’ qualifications, improving logistics, and relocating the agency from its dilapidated headquarters.
The Senator’s remarks have reignited longstanding concerns over corruption and political manipulation in the Senate’s confirmation process./Pro Tempore Karnga-Lawrence.
According to him, some agents have gone unpaid for up to 10 years, which he described as a “threat” to national security. He disclosed that the agency is expected to receive about 15 vehicles through budgetary allocation but stressed that the LDEA needs at least US$8–10 million for effective operations.
The Senator’s remarks have reignited longstanding concerns over corruption and political manipulation in the Senate’s confirmation process. Over the years, the body has faced allegations of receiving bribes to approve presidential nominees, concessions, and resolutions.
In 2021, former Pro-Tempore Albert T. Chie ordered a probe after ex-staffer Daniel Sando alleged senators received US$20,000 each to approve a resolution allowing the Central Bank to print over L$48 billion in new banknotes. In 2020, it was alleged that US$180,000 was shared among lawmakers following approval of former President Weah’s COVID-19 stimulus package, with senators openly admitting to receiving portions of the money as “operational cost.”
With Liberia’s drug crisis worsening, all eyes are now on the Senate to see whether Cyrus’ vow of “no business as usual” will mark a turning point in the fight against narcotics and the politics of confirmation.
