About seventy mining dredges have been destroyed at a province by a team of high-powered environmental monitors.

A team led by the directors of field operations and extensions, including a team from  legal, compliance and enforcement, external relations and advocacy organizations, and officials from regional security forces, traveled throughout the country to investigate illegal dredges done on some provincial rivers due to bad mining activities.

The raiding exercise had commenced from the 21st of February to the 6th of March this year.

The Evnvironment Protection Agency says mining activities in the following areas have serious risks to the country’s waterways and ecosystem.

The mining sites where severe dredges have occurred are: Moa River, Jagbema village, Jawei Chiefdom, Kailahun district, Sewa by Gedema village, Simbaru chiefdom, Kenema district, Sewa by Gondama barracks, Bo district, Taia tributary by Nyadehun village Valunia chiefdom, Bo district, Taia river by Mongere, Valunia chiefdom, Bo district, ⁠Kangari forest reserve, Baomahun, Valunia chiefdom, Bo district,⁠Sewa and Bafi river in Kono district, ⁠Panpana River in Tonkolili district, Roker river by Binkolo village, Bombali district, ⁠Kabala river crossing in Karene district and Taia river by Yele, Tonkolili district.

The agency says such illegal use of mercury, a harmful chemical, has disrupted ecosystems, altered flow patterns, led to erosion, contaminated waterways with toxic chemicals, and endangered aquatic life and human health,.

Thus, the agency has always refused to issue Environmental Impact Assessment Licenses to undertake such degrading environmental activity.

Throughout the lasts raids, the team engaged the police force’s regional headquarters, encouraged collaboration, and conducted community outreach on the impacts of chemical abuse and illegal mining, which were largely informal settlements.

In compliance with section 12 of the EPA Act, 2022, and the Presidential Directive to stem the pollution of water bodies dated 9th June 2021, the agency destroyed over seventy dredges discovered doing illegal mining, and arrested illegal miners and handed them over to the police for further investigation and prosecution.

“The EPA recognizes the urgent need to safeguard our rivers and environment for current and future generations, and through stringent regulations, enforcement measures, and community engagement, we will continue our efforts to combat dredging and illicit mining and ensure a sustainable future for all,” a statement by the agency reads.