US$2.6M Needed To Rescue ‘Zogos’

By Jackson C. Clay, Jr.

In an effort to remove from the streets those referred to as ‘zogos’, the Liberia Refuge Repatriation and Resettlement Commission (LRRRC) has disclosed that it would require two points six million United States dollars (US$2.6m).

‘Zogos’ once arrested by police & DEA officers for drugs  

‘Zogos’ are those underprivileged and drugs addict youth who ply the streets of Monrovia and its environs loading cars, snatching phones and other valuable items from people and with no homes, but rather use the ghettos as a home.

Making the disclosure Monday, May 7, 2018 to a team of reporters on the grounds of the Capitol Building in Monrovia, LRRRC Executive Director, Rev. Festus Logan said the commission is determined in removing the ‘zogos’ off the streets.

Rev. Logan stated that the commission under his administration has crafted a five-year plan to help clean the ‘zogos’ off the streets through what he calls the internally displaced program.

“My administration has a five-year strategy road map for our internally displaced program for those you call ‘zogos’ and they are not ‘zogos’ and even our Defer Enforce Departure (DED) program,” Rev. Logan revealed.

The LRRRC Executive Director indicated that his teams are all out in the field and ghettos collecting data of those ‘zogos’ upon which the construction of a transit centers within four or five counties in order to transform those young people for the betterment of the country.

He told journalists that there are over six hundred (600) ghettos across the country and that his teams are doing all they can to ensure that every person is captured.

Director Logan asserted that he believes if this is not properly addressed as soon as possible, the country stands at a great security threat, thus, the ‘zogos’ would increase over the next three to four years thereby creating insecurity for peaceful citizens and other nationals in the country.

“We are going to build transit centers within four or five counties where these ‘zogos’ would spend about one year six months undergoing various kinds of counseling and training in order to bring them on path with their peers in society and following said training, they will also be reunited with their families and the society at large,” the LRRRC Director stressed.

Meanwhile, Rev. Logan vowed to go all out to international and local partners, the President and the Government of Liberia to ensure that this vision comes to reality, adding, the commission’s budget cannot shoulder this project, as only five hundred thousand United States dollars (US$500,000) is being allocated within the national budget for the commission and said fund is only intended for employees’ salaries.

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