By: Aminata Sesay
In an effort to combat the escalating issue of drug abuse among youth across West Africa, the ECOWAS Parliament on Monday held a high-level engagement with the Speaker of Sierra Leone’s Parliament, Rt. Hon. Segepoh Solomon Thomas. The meeting aimed to foster a unified regional response to the growing crisis.
The visit, spearheaded by the ECOWAS Parliamentary Committee on Health, is part of broader efforts to strengthen collaboration with member states on youth-centered anti-drug initiatives. It also forms part of a larger ECOWAS campaign to rally support for effective rehabilitation and prevention strategies.
Speaking during the engagement, Hon. Orlando Pereira Dias, Chairman of the Committee on Health, highlighted the urgency of the issue, describing drug abuse as one of the most critical health threats facing young people in the ECOWAS region. He commended Sierra Leone and President Julius Maada Bio on his recent appointment as Chairman of the Authority of ECOWAS Heads of State and expressed hope that the country would take a leading role in addressing the crisis.
“Health remains a top priority across ECOWAS. We want to see our youth thrive mentally and physically. The growing drug crisis demands a collective response from all member states,” Hon. Dias stated.
The ECOWAS delegation was led by Hon. Veronica Kadie Sesay, Deputy Chief Whip of Sierra Leone’s Parliament and Head of the Sierra Leone Delegation to the ECOWAS Parliament. She noted that the visit is part of a regional mission to strengthen intergovernmental collaboration and community engagement in addressing youth drug addiction.
As part of the initiative, a town hall meeting will be held in Freetown to engage national stakeholders on the issue. The program will also include site visits to local drug rehabilitation centers to assess current conditions and identify areas requiring urgent support.
In his remarks, Speaker Segepoh Solomon Thomas welcomed the ECOWAS delegation and praised the Parliament’s commitment to tackling the crisis. He described the situation as “colossal” and stressed the need for immediate and coordinated action.
“This is a regional concern that demands a unified response. If this trend continues, we risk losing an entire generation to drug addiction. The Parliament of Sierra Leone is fully committed to supporting any coordinated efforts to fight this menace,” he affirmed.
The ECOWAS initiative seeks to integrate responses across the health, education, law enforcement, and civil society sectors to address both the root causes and the consequences of youth drug addiction. Stakeholders are optimistic that the outcomes of these engagements will translate into actionable policies and increased resource mobilization across West Africa.
This meeting represents a vital step toward aligning national and regional legislative efforts to curb substance abuse and protect the future of the region’s youth.