Ganta, Nimba County: The Mayor of Ganta City, Samuel S. Hardt, has strongly refuted a recent FrontPage Africa publication linking him and members of the Ganta business community to the escape of an alleged drug suspect from the custody of the Liberia Drug Enforcement Agency (LDEA).

The report, published on August 22, 2025, with the headline “Liberia: Drug Suspect Escapes LDEA Custody: Ganta City Mayor and Business Community Implicated”, alleged that Mayor Hardt and the business community aided in the escape of a suspect identified as Prince Charles Taylor (not believed to be his real name), accused of drug trafficking.

Mayor Hardt described the article as “false, misleading, and a calculated attempt to undermine the collective anti-drug efforts of my office, the business community, and the citizens of Ganta.”

He clarified that neither he nor the Ganta Business Association had any involvement in facilitating the escape of drug suspects, stressing instead that the city has been at the forefront of Liberia’s anti-drug campaign.

According to the Mayor, Ganta recently launched an aggressive crackdown on narcotics, beginning with a citywide anti-drug parade on August 15, followed by the demolition of more than ten ghettos, including two notorious hideouts. These operations, he said, led to the arrest of seven suspected drug dealers.

“All those arrests were conducted based on verified intelligence and undeniable evidence. They were carried out in the full presence of LDEA officers, Liberia National Police (LNP) personnel, and members of the media.” Hardt explained

He further noted that the operations are spearheaded by the LDEA and LNP, with support from the Ganta Anti-Drug and Crime Community Taskforce a local vigilante initiative established by his office, security agencies, and community members.

Hardt said it is regrettable that FrontPage Africa and its reporter have failed to highlight the unprecedented efforts of ordinary citizens who are courageously confronting the drug menace in Ganta, but choose to provide misleading information to the public.

As part of efforts named to crackdown on drugs in the city, Mayor Hardt pointed to a recent donation of two new TVS Star motorbikes, valued at US$2,000, jointly procured by the Ganta City Corporation and the Ganta Business Association and presented to the LDEA to support enforcement operations.

Written By: P Uriah Suah/‎suahuriah86@gmail.com
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