GASD Writes GAC, Calls for Audit of Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee on Drugs

Monrovia, Liberia – The Global Action for Sustainable Development (GASD) is calling for a comprehensive audit and major reforms to Liberia’s national drug response, following the release of a detailed Independent Impact Evaluation Analysis submitted to the General Auditing Commission (GAC).

According to the GASD Executive Director, the Independent Impact Evaluation Analysis provides a comprehensive review of the progress and reported activities of the Multi-Sectoral Steering Committee (MSSC) on Drug Abuse and Substance Use Disorder (SUD) from January 2024 to June 2025.

The evaluation, carried out by GASD in partnership with Infoquest, assessed the coordination, effectiveness, and accountability of interventions under the MSSC framework. It reviewed the roles and activities of five key institutions: the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Justice, Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency, Ministry of Youth and Sports, and the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection.

According to the report, the Ministry of Finance and Development Planning disbursed a total of US$1,430,006 to support the national response, including US$515,552 to the Ministry of Youth and Sports, US$500,000 to the Ministry of Health, and US$414,454 to the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency. These funds were intended to strengthen prevention, treatment, recovery, law enforcement, and public awareness efforts following President Joseph Nyuma Boakai's declaration of substance abuse as a national public health emergency in January 2024.

While acknowledging the political will of the president and activities such as training drug enforcement officers, community awareness campaigns, and rehabilitation initiatives, Koryor said the evaluation reveals deeper structural problems. “The findings show that the current system is not delivering the level of coordination, accountability, and measurable impact required to effectively address the crisis,” he said.

The report highlights several critical gaps, including poor project documentation, inconsistent reporting formats, weak monitoring and evaluation systems, inadequate data collection, and limited coordination among institutions. It also points to the absence of baseline data, lack of disaggregated information, and incomplete outcome tracking, which make it difficult to measure real impact.

Concerns were also raised about financial accountability, with the evaluation noting limited financial reporting and weak audit mechanisms across implementing entities.

Another key issue identified is the limited involvement of civil society organizations in both implementation and oversight. The report notes that, despite their roles in community engagement and service delivery, civil society actors were largely excluded from planning and reporting processes, thereby reducing transparency and public participation.

Beyond identifying gaps, the evaluation makes strong recommendations. Koryor said GASD is calling for the dissolution of the current MSSC structure, citing its inability to effectively manage the national response. In its place, the report recommends establishing a National Coordinating Secretariat reporting directly to the Office of the President to lead a more coherent and accountable response.

“We need a more focused and results-driven structure that can coordinate prevention, treatment, recovery, and enforcement efforts in a unified way,” Koryor stated.

The evaluation also calls for a full audit by the GAC to verify how public funds were used, as well as reforms to strengthen monitoring and evaluation systems, standardize reporting, and improve data management for evidence-based decision-making. Koryor emphasized that the goal of the evaluation is not only to identify shortcomings but to provide practical, evidence-based solutions.

“This is about strengthening national systems, improving accountability, and ensuring that the response to Liberia’s drug crisis is effective, transparent, and sustainable,” he said.

The GASD boss also stated that the evaluation was conducted through a mixed-methods desk review of MSSC progress reports, monitoring data, and national policy frameworks. It revealed that issues like weak indicators, poor data quality, and gaps between reported activities and actual outcomes hindered a full evaluation of impact.

GASD says it hopes the findings will support the oversight role of the GAC and help guide reforms that restore public confidence and improve Liberia’s response to drug abuse and substance use disorders.

READ THE FULL IMPACT EVALUATION ANALYSIS