The issue of illicit mining has taken new shape in Grand Kru, Sinoe and Rive Gee Counties; who is behind this, a million dollars question. But on the surface, its allege that Ghanaians, Burkinabe and Guineans are the ones into the illicit mining in these counties. Durig a tour in the region (Southeast), several towns and sites where intensive mining activites are ongoing were visited; among these areas, the Sapo National Park, located between Sinoe and and Grand Gedeh, and other towns and villages in Grand Kru county were captured.
The pictorials below this passage are scenes from the Sapo Nation Park where there are over three thousand illegal oocupants digging gold and hunting protected spaces for trading and comsuption. Our on site investigation about individuals living and working in the Sapo Park established that, there are both citizens and foreign nationals from Guinea, Ghana, Ivory Cost, Burkina Faso, Mali, Nigeria and Serra Leon. These foreigners, are heavily backed by Liberia citizens from other counties including Nimba, Bong, Lofa, Grand Cape Mont, Gbapolu, Margibi and surrounding counties of the Park. (River Gee, Grand Gedeh and Sinoe).
Our investigatin also recalled that the mineral (gold) from the park is heavily being trade to foreign individuals who hired Liberia citizens on a daily basic. Daily hirers are being paid thousand-five (LD1,500.00) minimum, while a gran of gold is being sole between eleven to twelve thousand Liberian Dollars. Soureces in the park disclosed to our investigation that the minimum amount of gold that can be discover daily is not less than forty five to fifty grans per brokers (gold byuyers). These brokers, according to sources on site, are individuals (mostly foreigners) who owned the equipment used to dig the miniral. Though there is no yellow machines or excavator, neither any other moving engine in the Sapo Park, but there are water machiness that are used to pump water out from a site that may require mining. the Park is currently made up of towns that contiained more than five hundred human being living in tanks and shelters made of tarpolynes; name given to some of the towns our investigation covered include, Iraq, Afganistan, America New Liberia among others.
Sources on site, in the Sapo Park disclosed that life in the Sapo National Park started since 2003 and some of them have managed to settle in the Park and so they are more comfortable with life there
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Meanwhile, the County Attorney of Sinoe County, Cllr. Daniel T-Kay Dweh has disclosed planned by national government that, 2025 is the year to remove all illegal occupance from the Sapo National Park; speaking with our reporter at his Greenville office, Cllr. Dweh said those living in the Sapo National Park have no right to live and mine resources that should be reserved for generations to come; he cited that for tool long government has tried to remove those illegally living in the park and stealing the county resources without any benefit to the general public but instead allowing foreigners to take away the country resources. The head of all security personnel in Sinoe citing that upon their mandate to remove these illegal dwellers from the Sapo Park, there will be nothing like dialogue, due to what he term as a complete defiance to national government.
It be recalled that, on several occasions the Forestry Development Agncy FDA, through its Rangers, who are the direct custodians of the Sapo Nationa Party, interms of security had allegedly failed to remove these illegal dwellers from the park due to persistence resistance from these illegal occupance. Information gather by our investigation uncovered that despite arm police intervention to support FDA Rangers for the remover of the illegal dwellers didn’t materialize; due to exchange of fire arms betrween illegal dwellers of the park and police officers. Sources narrated that there are men in the Park with single-barrals and other weapons who are always there to retaliate to arm men in preventing the removal of those living and digging mineral in the Park .
But with these past happenings on issue of the Sapo Park, Cllr. Dweh noted that governmet plan this year in removing those illegally living in the Park, there will be no ground for negotiation and there will be no room for escape; “ if anyone feels that they can challenge lets wait and see, because we are going to leave no stone untouched” noted Sinoe County Attorney.
In another development, our investigation has uncovered that mining activities in Grand Kru and River Gee counties are allegedly being supported by big-hands which is being referred to as “interest mining”. According to sources, in the county, foreign nationals are closly woking with opinion leaders, such as district representatives and Senators to carried on theie illegal mining activities in various bushes of these counties. During our tour in the region, it can be recalled that creeks and rivers in these counties are used by illegal miners most of whom are Ghanians. A particular reference can be made for Krand Kru County, around the Dorbor Administrative District, where the Dorbor and Taybue Rivers and the surrounding creeks are occupied with host of illegal miners. These foreigners are said to be gradually taking over the citizens of these areas due to their influx in the county.
Speaking with our investigator in the county, residence of Jlatiken and Weyean in electoral district #2 expressed fear that if nothing is done, sooner or later these foreigners will take over their towns and bushes, alleging that these thing are happening right under the watchful eyes of those the citizens considered as opinion leaders, ranging from twon chiefs to representatives and senators.
Furthering our investigation to the Ministry of Land, Mines and Energy to establish some findings, on numerous occasions, the Director for Public Relation, Richard promised to lunch his own investigations and will comment at the appropriate time.
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