By Alpha Abu
The Sierra Leone Police and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have mounted an operation in the south of the country, targeting illegal gold miners. The operation was concentrated in two chiefdoms Peje and Kabonde in the Pujehun district where there is said to be a large concentration of illegal mining activities believed to be spearheaded by mostly foreign nationals.
The illegal mining of gold is said to be taking place on the banks of the Wanje river using dredges. The villages of Futa and Kuiva and Belebu that have seen much of the illegal mining activities have been the focus of the joint operation.
Police sources say two foreign nationals, a Liberian and a Ghanaian were arrested. Many more were said to have escaped, using boats.
The arrested foreign nationals Jonathan Dickson a Liberian and Mick Mensah a Ghanaian are being questioned by the Police.
The rampant mining taking place along rivers in various parts of the country in recent times had attracted criticisms from environmentalists, especially with growing reports of serious pollution, with the waters losing their colour and threats to marine life. Villagers living along the banks of those rivers see them as a source of livelihood through fishing and use the rivers also for domestic purposes. There have been concerns about health-related issues for the communities living along those coastal areas as a result of the polluted rivers.
EPA officials have insisted that the joint action was part of their agency’s “compliance monitoring mechanisms to effectively manage and protect the environment”.
The Acting Regional Manager of EPA South, Joseph Gbassay said the very activities by foreign nationals were in contravention of the amended EPA Act of 2010. He accused some local community leaders of being complicit by harbouring and approving the nefarious actions of the foreigners, and warned of the effects such unregulated mining would cause to the environment.
Copyright © 2021 Politico Online
