UMNS photo/E Julu Swen
Story written by George Stewart
The United Methodist Church in Liberia has resolved to launch an intervention into the plight of youth on drugs, locally referred to as “zogos” that threatens national security.
At its 189th Annual Conference in Ganta Nimba County, the Church issued a statement on Sunday February 13 and named one of its ministers, Rev. Caleb Domah as Ambassador and Lead Advocate for rehabilitation, advocacy and welfare of drug addicted youth in the country.
The Bishop of the Liberia Area of the UMC, Rev. Dr. Samuel Quire, while commissioning Rev. Domah, called on leaders and members of his denomination to rise up and support efforts intended to redeem at-risk youth who spell danger for themselves and the nation.
The Statement from the UMC Liberia Conference says, UMC Liberia Area “believes that Youths in Liberia are important to Jesus Christ and must be reached out to with songs of inclusivity, rather than murmurs of exclusivity.
Knowledgeable of the fact that they may be users and abusers of illicit drugs, caught up in acts of petit thievery and violence, the Liberia Area, United Methodist Church believes that these At-risk youths are precious in the sight of God and thus seen as gems to the United Methodist Church. The Church believes that there is urgency in finding a pragmatic and transformative solution to lift these Youth from valleys of despair to buoyancy of new hope”.
The Church commits itself to “prayerfully set aside resources to support what it calls its ‘Specialized Ministry’. The church’s statement did not quantify the kind of support needed to care for alarming drug addiction and its trigger-down effects on the tranquility of the nation.
The UMC in Liberia is said to commend the largest denominational membership and significant assets that could support the social threat drug addiction has exposed to the youthful population of the country.
Rev. Domah, commissioned to the specialized ministry on narcotic drug addiction and wayward youth, has since spent more than two years holding worship services, rallying support and counselling for at-risk youth in ghettos and street corners of Monrovia. Rev. Caleb Dormah, an athlete and youth worker himself, founded Zogo WeCare, as a charity bridging the gaps between the mainstream society and the youth on drugs who live on the margin of society, suffering grave stigmatization and threatening the safety of mostly pedestrians.
Liberia’s youth on drugs are the most feared in the country. They are seem involved with vehicle loading, snatching phones, handbags and portable items carried by street walkers.
Addressing the UMC Conference prior to his appointment, Caleb cautioned the “conscious society” to no longer sit idle, carefree and on the fence as the drug crisis has already overwhelmed the government and its apparatuses. He suggested inclusive and consolidated societal approach that brings the government and the governed, the religious and the political, the community and development partners together for a robust and sustainable remedial action.
“The UMC in Liberia has always played leading roles into crisis management and settlement; we need we need to act strategic and quickly to partner with all including the government and partners to address this issue of our at-risk youth”, Rev. Dr. Lawrence Bropleh, former Permanent Representative of the World Council of Churches at the United Nations admonished the over 2000 delegates who attended the 189th Session of the United Methodist Church in Liberia.
If all goes well, this would add to several community services the United Methodist Church in Liberia is taking. United Methodist Development Services, an arm of the church, implements integrated projects impacting education, health and safe drinking water.
Similarly, the Human Rights Monitor of the UMC implements rights based projects, water and sanitation, among others.