PHOTO: Pollution of the Morvor and Mafa rivers causes residents to flee from a town
On May 23, 2022, Monday, citizens of Jekandor Town, Gola Konneh District in in Liberia’s western Grand Cape Mount County fled the town after they discovered dead fishes over the Marvor rivers, as depicted in posts on social media.”
As Garmah Never Lomo reports, the residents accused Bea Mountain Mining Company in Kinjor of polluting the Creek with a dangerous chemical, which they used that entered into the water and river.
A statement from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Liberia said today, Tuesday, May 24, 2022 that it “is concerned about reports of alleged water pollution by BEA Mountain Mining Corporation resulting to the deaths of aquatic species in the Mafa and Morvor rivers as depicted in posts on the social media.”
One report from the area says a dog ate piece of the dead fish and instantly died on the spot.
Based the manner in which the dog died, citizens have decided to leave the town due to fear of death and lack of safe drinking water.
The town has One functioning hand pump which they are now afraid to drink from.
The report further said that if care is not taken by local authorities and the national government, this might lead to national disaster to both human and animals.
It can be recalled that in 2016, similar incident of such nature.
Meanwhile, authorities of Bea Mountain Mining company have dispatched a delegation to the site where the incident occurred to make some intervention.
Accordingly, the authorities are expected to carry water supplies for the residents in that town to avoid them from drinking from the creek as well as hand pump and well.
Thereafter, they informed both the residents and public on their next stands on the issue.