Monrovia-As the situation of uncontrolled mining and pollution persists in Mat House Town, Dweh Community, District #1, Grand Bassa County, the Independent Civil Society Union of Liberia (ICSUL), has expressed fear of mass deaths if urgent steps are not taken to arrest the situation.
“All water sources the locals depend on for safe drinking water are said to have been contaminated by the indiscriminate use of the dangerous mercury and cyanide chemicals by the Chinese company, Hongtu Mining Company Limited.” The CSO said.
Tension is said to be brewing as citizens and residents of the area are bitterly resisting the presence of a Chinese mining company, Hongtu Mining Company Limited (PL10040024), which they accuse of illegal mining operation, insecurity and environmental degradation.
Hongtu Mining Company Limited, a prospecting license holder, is said to be using heavy equipment and dangerous chemical substances such as mercury and cyanide, for its mining operations in the area.
The angry citizens, including women and youth, say they do not want the Chinese company in their community due to its indiscriminate mining operations which ignore all health and environmental standards and guidelines.
Residents accused Hongtu Mining Company Limited of polluting the environment, particularly, water sources and agricultural land, thus signaling an uncertain future for the economic survival of thousands of residents in the area.
The Mat House Community people, in desperate tone, are calling for the immediate intervention of the Ministry of Mines & Energy to advert an uncontrollably chaotic resistance in the area as people’s patience run out on a rapid scale.
The residents said Hongtu Mining Company Limited had promised to build schools, clinics, roads, and most importantly, provide hand pumps to guarantee access to safe drinking water, but has so far failed or neglected to fulfill any of such promises.
They further called on the Ministry of Mines & Energy, that due to the growing tension in the area and the callous disregard for the well-being of the community, the prospecting license of the Chinese company which expires on March 26, 2025, as reflected by the License Dashboard of the Ministry, which shows that Hongtu Mining Company Limited obtained its license September 27, 2024 and it expires March 26, 2025, should not be renewed.
“The company is operating illegally by not following local and international protocols set out by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), United Nations, and the Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (EITI), among others.” The frustrated Bassa citizens said.
They pointed out the lack of proper waste disposal and pollution control, highlighting that the creek they once depended on for drinking water has now been contaminated with cancer-causing agents such as mercury and cyanide chemicals which the company uses for its mining operations, in total disregard for health and safety of the people.
They also decried the company’s practice of privately engaging with vulnerable citizens and inducing them to sell their farm lands and houses for small money, with no program or policy for land rehabilitation, and a strategic log bridge connecting Districts #1 and #2 has been damaged due to heavy and unregulated excavators crossing as well as undermining activities which have put the bridge on the verge of collapse.
The hopeless Mat House Community people have also expressed concern and called for the urgent intervention of relevant authorities to address the hazardous activities of the Chinese company which pose serious risk to the survival of particularly their children and diminishing their livelihood and culture.
The angry citizens, particularly youth and women, warned some of their fellow residents including some compromised elders who are allegedly colluding with the Chinese and other foreign elements to bastardize their community to desist or face the wrath of the people.
The company is yet to respond to the citizens’ concerns, but efforts are reportedly being made to get the Ministry of Mines & Energy to appropriately address the situation.
Several communities across Liberia today face huge challenge of illegal mining activities and some unwholesome practices that pose serious environmental threat. Grand Bassa County is not the only save heavens for these illegal miners as counties in Southeastern Liberia including Grand Gedeh, Rivercess, Sinoe, River-Gee, Maryland and Grand Kur Counties are heavily affected.
Counties in the western region including Bomi, Grand Cape Mount, and Gbarpolu are evenly faced with similar challenges.
In many of the communities affected by illegal/illicit mining, water sources are polluted, sacred places and grave sites are damaged, town and historic villages are sometimes re-located while farmlands get destroyed by foreigners who are engaged into the illegal activities.
Economic livelihood for generations unborn is threatened,institutions responsible to regulate the illegal practices many at times failed to carry on their responsibilities properly why the locals are left with no alternative but the bear the consequences.
Liberia Mining Law prohibits illicit/illegal mining and in some cases the use of life-threatening chemical like mercury and cyanide but implementation of the law remains a challenge.
