By Mackie M. Jalloh
President Julius Maada Bio has stepped into the heart of Sierra Leone’s drug crisis with a renewed call for compassion, accountability, and national action, following a deeply emotional visit to the Government’s Drug Rehabilitation Centre in Hastings. His visit exposed both the human cost and the systemic failures surrounding the “kush” epidemic—a synthetic drug now tearing through communities and futures across the nation.
The Hastings facility, one of several government-run centers established to rehabilitate young victims of substance abuse, has become a symbol of hope amid despair. During the visit, President Bio interacted with dozens of recovering victims, parents, and social workers who have been fighting to reclaim lives once consumed by addiction. His message was clear: the nation’s fight against harmful drugs must be as much about healing as it is about justice.
“I see potential, not hopelessness,” the President said as he addressed the recovering victims, many of them young men and women in their twenties. “You are the future of Sierra Leone. We want you to be better citizens than us, and that is why we are breaking the chain of supply of these harmful substances. If you destroy your future now, there will be no one left to develop this country.”
The President’s tone, though firm, carried a rare emotional weight. At one point, he appeared visibly moved as he listened to the testimonies of mothers whose lives had been shattered by their children’s addictions. One mother, who spent eight months in prison after her son—a kush addict—stole Le 17,000 from a dealer, shared her story with tears in her eyes. Bio condemned her ordeal as a grave injustice.
“That woman suffered twice—first as a mother, and then as a victim of our society’s failure to protect the vulnerable,” he said. “She was punished for her son’s addiction and her poverty. That was wrong.”
The President also issued a stern warning to individuals and groups fueling the kush trade, particularly those exploiting familial trust for profit. He expressed dismay at reports that some parents were engaging in the sale of kush as a means of livelihood. “It saddens me to learn that some parents are selling this poison to other people’s children,” he said. “That is not only a crime—it is a betrayal of parental duty. I urge them to stop immediately and find a decent, honest way to live.”
Highlighting his administration’s multi-sectoral approach to combat the crisis, President Bio announced the expansion of rehabilitation programs beyond Hastings, with new facilities already operational in Gondama (Bo) and Daru (Kailahun), and plans underway to establish another center in Teko (Makeni). He reaffirmed his directive to the Sierra Leone Police and the judiciary to intensify crackdowns on drug producers, smugglers, and dealers, stressing that “no one will be spared” in the fight against narcotics.
The visit also spotlighted inspiring stories of recovery and redemption. Margaret Jawara, a university student turned anti-drug ambassador, recounted how peer pressure led her into addiction and eventual rehabilitation at the Hastings facility. “I thought I had lost everything,” she said, “but through this program and the support of the Ministry of Social Welfare, I have found my purpose again. Today, I’m back in school and helping others recover.”
Similarly, Elizabeth Ansumana, a mother whose son—once a promising lawyer—fell into addiction, expressed gratitude for the government’s free treatment program after private care proved unaffordable. “The system gave my son a second chance,” she said. “Without it, I might have buried him instead of watching him rebuild his life.”
Minister of Social Welfare, Melrose Karminty, praised the President’s leadership and noted significant progress at the rehabilitation centers. She revealed that with military support stationed at Hastings, cases of escape have dramatically reduced. “We are also tracing families to reunite victims with their loved ones,” she added. “Reintegration is key to lasting recovery.”
President Bio concluded his visit with a message of unity and resilience, calling on all Sierra Leoneans to see the fight against kush not merely as a government agenda but as a moral and civic duty. “We cannot allow this scourge to rob us of our sons and daughters,” he said. “Together, through prevention, rehabilitation, and justice, we will reclaim the soul of our nation.”
