The Southern Regional office of the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) headed by Joseph Gbassa continues with the operation to remove all dredges in rivers in the southern region. The joint team consisting of EPA-SL regional staff and officials of the Sierra Leone police visited Lugbu Chiefdom Bo district with their search for illegal miners.
In pepi Village, the team burnt down one dredge machine that was planted on the Sewa River for engaging in illegal mining activities and polluting water bodies. The team continued with their search in Gelehun, Benduma, and Mano Mbebeteh in Lugbu and Tikonko chiefdoms respectively.
The issue of illegal mining has become rife in most part of the country causing serious pollution and significantly affecting local livelihoods and health of rural people who depend on rivers for a variety of purposes.
As the institution responsible for the effective management and protection of the environment, the Agency is taking necessary steps to discourage illegal mining activities in particular and mining generally along river courses to ensure the health and safety of the local populace.
Section 23 of the Environment Protection Agency Act of 2008 subjects all mining activities that involve the use of machines to the Environmental Impacts Assessment Process. This ensures that such activities are effectively regulated by Agency to minimize their impacts on the environment, health and livelihoods of people.
It is sad to note that these activities are carried out without Environmental Impact license thereby compromising the integrity of the environment. There are reports of the use of banned substances like mercury in some instances especially by foreigners posing serious health challenges for a number of Sierra Leoneans who drink directly from these rivers or through processed water sourced from rivers or those who eat fishes from these rivers.
The Agency is determined to decontaminate these rivers by firstly ensuring that all dredge machines are removed and the rivers free from mining activities.
