–Five-Member Panel of Legal, Legislative, Civil Society and Media Experts Set to Examine Accountability, Institutions and Rule of Law
MONROVIA, LIBERIA — August 25, 2026: The Press Union of Liberia (PUL) is set to relaunch its flagship Edward Wilmot Blyden Intellectual Discourse on Wednesday, August 26, bringing together leading voices from government, law, the legislature, civil society and the media to confront one of Liberia’s most pressing national challenges—drug trafficking.
The inaugural edition of the relaunched forum will focus on the theme, “Confronting Drug Trafficking: Strengthening Institutions, Advancing Accountability, and Safeguarding the Rule of Law.”
The discussion comes at a time when Liberia is facing heightened national concern over the growing threat posed by illicit drugs and the capacity of state institutions to prevent trafficking, prosecute offenders and protect communities from its social and economic consequences.
The PUL says the forum is intended to provide an independent platform for informed and constructive national dialogue, rather than simply a discussion of the immediate challenges surrounding drug trafficking.
A distinguished five-member panel has been assembled for the inaugural edition.
The panel includes Cllr. N. Oswald Tweh, Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Liberia; Hon. Amara M. Konneh, Senator of Gbarpolu County and Chairman of the Senate Committee on Audits and Public Accounts; Cllr. F. Juah Lawson, President of the Liberia National Bar Association (LNBA); Mr. Anderson Miamen, Executive Director of the Center for Transparency and Accountability in Liberia (CENTAL); and Mr. Aaron Kollie, Chief Executive Officer of Infinity Broadcasting Corporation, operators of Power FM and TV.
Their participation is expected to bring different perspectives to the debate, including the government’s law-enforcement response, legislative oversight, legal safeguards, institutional accountability, civil society scrutiny and the role of the media in confronting the drug crisis.
The PUL says the relaunch of the Blyden Forum reflects the need for sustained public engagement on issues that have far-reaching implications for Liberia’s governance, stability and development.
Named in honor of Edward Wilmot Blyden, a pioneering Liberian journalist, intellectual and statesman, the forum is designed to generate expert perspectives, promote shared understanding and encourage critical and factual analysis of issues of national importance.
According to the PUL, the platform will bring together policymakers, civil society leaders, journalists and other media practitioners to engage in constructive dialogue on democratic governance, transparency, accountability and the rule of law.
The Union believes these principles are essential to strengthening public institutions and advancing Liberia’s broader development agenda.
The relaunch also comes amid growing calls for stronger institutional responses to drug trafficking, including effective law enforcement, accountability and greater public awareness of the dangers associated with illicit drugs.
Rather than allowing national conversations on such issues to be driven solely by political or social-media exchanges, the Blyden Forum is intended to create space for experts and stakeholders to examine the underlying institutional and legal questions and explore practical responses.
The program is scheduled to begin at 11:00 A.M. on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at the Press Union of Liberia’s Head Office on Warner Avenue, 9th Street, Sinkor, Monrovia. Guests are requested to be seated by 10:45 A.M.
The PUL, under the leadership of President Julius Kanubah, is expected to use the relaunch as a renewed commitment to professional journalism and the media’s role in promoting informed public discourse on issues affecting the country.
With drug trafficking increasingly viewed as not only a law-enforcement issue but also a threat to public health, youth development, national security and institutional integrity, the forum is expected to place the issue firmly within the broader conversation about Liberia’s governance and future.
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