The Mano River Youth Parliament Liberia Chapter has finally passed its 2024 Resolution with a clarion call to the Liberian government to involve statutory youth groupings in the fight against drugs and substance abuse across the country.
The resolution, highlighting major recommendations, was passed by the 4th MRUP-LC in its 3rd Parliamentary Session held in Monrovia on Saturday, March 23, 2024 with 16 of its 30 members duly seated.
It captured the theme, “Ending the Scourge of Drug and Substance Abuse through Dialogue and Youth Engagement”.
In the resolution read by the Speaker of the regional youth body, Daniel Nama Nills, the group wants the government through the taskforce established by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai on Drugs and Substance Abuse to ensure the involvement of all statutory youths and student organizations.
Nills said it is intended for them to carry out awareness on the prevention of drug and substance abuse, monitor and report its importation and sale through a whistle-blowing mechanism.
The document further urged the Liberian Government to support the MRUYP-LC for the dissemination of the National Drugs Law nationwide and ensure the establishment of a court to speedily prosecute perpetrators of such a heinous life-threatening act.
As part of the seven-count resolution, the Speaker recommends that the Government of Liberia through the Ministry of Agriculture supports efforts of the MRUYP-LC to promote food security across the country.
The body approved the draft revised statute of the Parliament, disclosing that said document shall be forwarded to the Ministry of Youth and Sports and other stakeholders as the working instrument of the august body.
During the 3rd Parliamentary Session, the Mano River Youth Parliament Liberia Chapter approved the draft annual work plan and budget for 2024.
“That the remaining seat of Nimba County is hereby declared vacant and the Speaker is authorized to institute measures for the conduct of an election in Nimba not more than 30 days as of the passage of this resolution,” the resolution reads.
The body resolved through its leadership to engage the joint leadership of the 55th National Legislature on the activities/workings of the Parliament and its budget to ensure increment in the allotment from the National Government.
The Mano River Union Youth Parliament- Liberia Chapter is an offshoot of the regional body Mano River Union and comprises thirty (30) parliamentarians with two (2) from each of the fifteen political subdivisions of Liberia.
The session convened on March 23, 2024 is in consonance with Rule 7 of the Statute, which provides that a regular session of the parliament shall be held rotationally once every six months for three (3) days depending on funding received from the National Government.
