The Environmental Protection Agency of Liberia (EPA), with support from the Energy and Environment Project through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), has concluded a two-day capacity-building workshop for members of the County Environment Committees in Gbarnga, County.
The EPA was created in 2002 to serve as the lead government institution for environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources. Sections 24 to 27 of the EPA Act call for the creation of County Environment Committees to help enforce environmental laws and raise awareness at the community level.
The training was held under the theme: “Environment Protection Management: Taking Environmental Governance to the People.”
Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said the workshop was intended to strengthen the capacity of county-level environmental teams to address local environmental issues.
He said it is part of the EPA’s ongoing decentralization process aimed at taking environmental governance closer to communities and improving responses to challenges like pollution, illegal mining, and climate change.
Dr. Yarkpawolo emphasized that solving Liberia’s environmental problems is not a single person’s business. Still, everyone’s business, adding that environmental issues should be a concern of every Liberian, something which he believes every citizen should take ownership of the environment.
The EPA Executive Director revealed that many environmental are caused by human activities such as illegal mining, which he said is polluting rivers and destroying land.
“This training is part of EPA’s larger goal of building the capacity of county and local teams so that problems can be addressed faster and more effectively,” Dr. Yarkpawolo said. “The EPA is decentralizing because we want environmental governance to be visible at the grassroots. That way, when something happens, people on the ground can respond quickly.”
Moreover, he encouraged County Environment Committee members to take their roles seriously and work with community leaders, lawmakers, and civil society to protect Liberia’s environment.
According to Dr. Emmanuel Urey Yarkpawolo, the just ended two training sessions are just the beginning, we hope you will return to your counties and apply what you learn for the benefit of your people.”
Meanwhile, Bong County Superintendent Madam Hawa Loleyah Norris lauded the Executive Director of the EPA for the level of work done since his ascendancy at the entity.
The Bong County Superintendent further assured the EPA Executive that her office would work with the EPA’s local team to address environmental issues in the county.
Moreover, remarking at the opening of the training on June 6, 2025, in Gbarnga, Gbarpolu County Senator Botoe Kanneh thanked the EPA for organizing the training.
The Gbarpolu County Senator, at the same time, called on the attention of the EPA regarding the growing waves of illegal mining in Gbarpolu County.
According to Senator Kannah, many rivers are being destroyed by illegal mining activity in the County.
The Gbarpolu Legislator pledged the County Legislative Caucus’s commitment to working with the EPA in addressing these illegal mining activities in the County.
Participants of the two-day workshop lauded the EPA and UNDP for organizing such a unique training.
They described the training as an eye-opener for them and vowed to use the knowledge acquired widely in various communities for the overall betterment of the environment.
