Twelve young Sierra Leoneans were on Saturday, November 11th, 2023, laid to rest at the Kingtom Cemetery in Freetown through the joint efforts of Andrew Jaia Kai Kai, the newly appointed Executive Director of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Sinneh Kamara, Head of the National Burial at Connaught Hospital Mortuary, that facilitated the burial.
At the solemn ceremony, Andrew Jaia Kai Kai condemned the detrimental effects of the illicit drug, Kush, likening it to a more significant threat than the country’s past civil conflict. He stressed the Government’s determination to combat the drug, emphasizing that Kush poses a severe danger to the present and future generations of Sierra Leone.
“These souls buried here are our children,” Kai Kai lamented, urging a united effort to eliminate the menace that threatens the country’s future leaders. He pledged unwavering commitment to eradicating Kush from society, emphasizing the need to target importers, manufacturers, and retailers to rescue the upcoming generation.
Warning about the dire consequences of prolonged Kush use, Kai Kai cautioned that Sierra Leone could face a future with a generation devoid of mental faculties if action isn’t taken promptly. He highlighted the infiltration of Kush into schools, towns, and villages, calling for collective action to safeguard the nation’s youth and support addicted children in breaking free from the drug’s grip.
Sinneh Kamara, Head of the National Burial at Connaught Hospital Mortuary, echoed the sentiment, deeming the deaths a tragic consequence of Kush misuse. He pointed out the dire situations where individuals prioritize purchasing Kush over basic necessities like food and stressed the importance of rehabilitation for addicts to reintegrate them into society.
Kamara pledged full support from the mortuary in the fight against the escalating Kush crisis and warned suppliers to cease their activities before facing legal consequences. He urged all sectors of society to collaborate in combating the drug epidemic, not merely in identifying culprits but also in support and rehabilitation efforts.
