By Esau J. Farr| The DayLight
KOKOYAH DISTRICT, Bong County – At dawn one Friday last month, men clad in traditional attire marched through dense forest to a mining camp along the St. John River. As miners scrambled into the bush, the group set fire to one of three dredges, leaving its owners in shock.
The raid was part of a month-long operation by the National Traditional Council of Chiefs’ task force in Bong County, aimed at clearing illegal dredges from sacred waters in Kokoyah and Panta districts. The crackdown follows a 2019 moratorium on dredging, lifted last June, according to official records.
“These miners are using mercury and destroying our waters,” said Aphonso Diggs, head of the task force. He stressed the operation was independent of the Ministry of Mines and Energy, though the regulator was aware.
This reporter observed 10 task force members, including armed anti-riot police. Videos obtained by The DayLight show dredges burned in Rock Crusher Town and Willie Village.
The raids come as the Ministry of Mines and Energy legalizes dredging, despite its association with mercury pollution. Permits cost US$10,000 for large-scale and US$1,500 for small-scale operations, but none have been issued.
Dredge owners expressed willingness to comply. “If they told us to get a permit, I would have done it,” said Henry Kromah of Sayweh Town.
Accusations of corruption shadow both regulators and the task force. Diggs alleged ministry agents collect weekly payments from illicit miners, a claim denied by Rufus Garkpah, a ministry agent. Meanwhile, miners accused the task force of extorting bribes. “They only come for money,” said James Tokpah, an illicit miner in Rock Crusher.
Despite denials, dredges were seen operating a day after the raid, with burned remnants floating nearby. Diggs insisted the task force would continue its campaign: “If they don’t leave, we will still remove.” This story was produced by The DayLight with support from the Embassy of Ireland through Integrity Watch Liberia. Editorial independence was maintained, and the content does not reflect the views of the Embassy or Integrity Watch Liberia.
