Liberia: FPA Report Triggers Action as China Union Assesses Pollution, Road Damage in Mining Communities

MARGIBI COUNTY — A FrontPage Africa investigation into alleged environmental damage and deteriorating living conditions in communities surrounding China Union’s mining concession has prompted the company and Margibi County District Four Representative Emmanuel O. Yahr to conduct a joint field assessment of affected areas.

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By Yawah Y. Jaivey

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Bangli, a subsidiary of China Union, which is engaged in iron ore extraction around Bong Mountain in Bong and Margibi Counties, joined Rep. Yahr’s office over the weekend to inspect communities where residents have raised concerns about water pollution, damaged farmland, deteriorating feeder roads and other impacts they associate with mining activities.

The assessment followed an FPA report published two weeks ago documenting complaints from residents of several villages bordering the China Union concession.

Residents alleged that mining activities have contributed to the pollution of waterways and farmland, deposits of mud and mining debris, excessive dust and damage to roads used to transport agricultural produce and access essential services.

Following the publication, Rep. Yahr conducted an initial assessment of the affected communities and engaged residents about their concerns before bringing the issues to the attention of Bangli management.

During the latest joint assessment, representatives of Bangli and Rep. Yahr’s office visited several communities to examine the allegations firsthand, including claims involving contaminated water sources, damaged crops and deteriorating farm-to-market roads.

At the conclusion of the assessment, Bangli management committed to addressing concerns raised by the affected communities and taking appropriate measures going forward.

Residents, meanwhile, commended Rep. Yahr for responding to their complaints and expressed hope that the company would follow through on its commitments.

The affected communities include Neitasue, Gboryourmue, Benmue and Jack Village, with residents estimating that more than 2,000 people across the communities are affected by the reported conditions.

During an earlier FPA tour of communities near the Bangli mining area, residents described what they said were worsening environmental and living conditions.

An FPA reporter observed deposits of mud and iron ore debris covering sections of vegetable gardens and rice fields. Some waterways and surrounding farmland also contained visible sediment and mining-related debris.

Residents said the situation becomes particularly severe during heavy rainfall, when muddy water and sediment reportedly flow from mining areas into creeks and other water sources used by surrounding communities.

Residents Complain of Water Pollution

Moses Kollie, Town Chief of Gboryourmue Village in Margibi County, said residents have increasingly struggled to access what they consider safe drinking water since mining activities intensified.

“In our villages, we ran out of drinking water. After the mine started, most of our backwaters have been polluted,” Kollie said.

He also alleged that pollution has affected agricultural production by reducing the amount of land residents can effectively cultivate.

“All our farming lands and waters have been polluted. Dust has covered all our plants. Productivity of the land is reduced. There’s less cultivable soil available,” Kollie told FPA.

Residents said the reported conditions are threatening household food security and their ability to generate income from farming.

Tamba Philip, a resident of Neitasue Village in Fuamah District, Bong County, said a water source once used for drinking, bathing and washing clothes has become increasingly muddy.

“This is where we get drinking water, wash our clothes, and bathe, but now it has turned murky. There are already sediments, which were not here when there were no mining operations up in the mountain,” Philip said.

He said the problem becomes more pronounced during periods of heavy rainfall.

“You visit us here when there’s rain and see our body of waters. Murky water will go to several neighboring villages,” Philip said.

Mud, Mining Debris Affect Road Access

Residents also blamed mining-related runoff and sediment for worsening the condition of a feeder road linking some of the affected villages to surrounding communities.

According to residents, large quantities of mud and iron ore debris carried downstream from the mining area have accumulated along sections of the road, making transportation difficult and, at times, nearly impossible.

They said the deteriorating road has made it harder for farmers to transport produce to markets and for residents to access health care, schools and other essential services.

Samuel K. David, a resident of Gboryourmue, said China Union resumed mining operations nearly four years ago and alleged that the renewed activities have coincided with increased pollution of creeks and farmland.

David said residents have repeatedly requested assistance, including the installation of hand pumps and rehabilitation of damaged roads, but alleged that their concerns have not received adequate attention.

Blasting Raises Health, Structural Concerns

Residents have also raised concerns about loud blasting they associate with mining operations.

Some alleged that blasting, particularly at night, has disrupted sleep and created anxiety among people living near the mining areas.

Residents further claimed that repeated blasting has caused cracks in some houses. However, determining whether mining activity caused the reported structural damage would require an independent technical assessment.

Amara Tate, a Gboryourmue resident, said the combination of water pollution and blasting has heightened anxiety among residents.

“With the blasting that’s going on, our backwaters are not just polluted, but our houses are being damaged and we, especially those with hypotension, are left to endure those loud explosions. So, we’re mostly concerned about our health,” Tate said.

Residents Question Social Development Benefits

Beyond environmental concerns, residents say they have yet to see what they consider meaningful social and economic benefits from the company’s presence in their communities.

David alleged that communities directly affected by mining activities have not benefited sufficiently from social development initiatives associated with the concession.

He cited what he described as inadequate access to basic services, including clinics, safe drinking water, schools and employment opportunities.

According to David, communities affected by mining should receive tangible development benefits, particularly where their farmland, waterways, roads and livelihoods are affected.

Activist Calls for Accountability

Social justice activist Ambassador Joseph Orland Beyan has also called for greater accountability in the management of Liberia’s mineral resources, arguing that resource development should not come at the expense of communities living in mining areas.

Beyan said the Mineral Development Agreement between the Government of Liberia and China Union should protect the lives, dignity, health and livelihoods of people living within and around the concession.

He said he finds it difficult to believe that the Liberian government would knowingly enter into an agreement that places citizens at risk.

“Yet, the reality on the ground is deeply troubling. Our brothers and sisters living around the company’s operational areas are facing serious challenges. Their farmlands, sources of water, crops, homes, roads, and overall health and well-being are being affected, while many communities continue to live in conditions that deserve urgent attention,” Beyan said.

He urged authorities and the company to treat the concerns as issues affecting real communities rather than merely administrative matters.

“These are not just statistics or issues written on paper. These are our people. These are families. These are communities whose lives and livelihoods matter,” he said.

Beyan called for affected communities to have a meaningful platform to seek redress.

“We cannot remain silent when the people who are supposed to benefit from our natural resources are instead left struggling to protect their land, homes, health, and future,” he said.

He added that his group was preparing what he described as a new advocacy approach focused on accountability and the peaceful pursuit of justice for affected communities.

“Our natural resources must not come at the cost of the lives and dignity of our people,” Beyan said.