Chief Minister Dr. David Moinina Sengeh has praised the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) for its unwavering dedication to upholding its fundamental duty of preserving the environment and securing the well-being of present and future generations of Sierra Leone.
With recent accomplishments underscoring their effectiveness, the EPA has successfully executed a mission targeting the eradication of detrimental dredge mining across the country.
The agencyโs proactive actions in the villages of Maneteh and Maseneh in the Tane Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, involved the dismantling and incineration of twenty illegal dredges. This was promptly followed by similar triumphant operations in Kenema and Bo Districts, where a total of twenty-seven dredges were rendered inoperative through incineration. Chief Minister Dr. Sengeh has enthusiastically embraced these actions, recognizing the agencyโs timely and vital intervention.
The repercussions of dredge mining have been well-documented, with its contributions to waterway pollution leading to a host of challenges for downstream communities across various regions in Sierra Leone.
In a statement issued by the Chief Minister, he underscored the collective responsibility for national development, emphasizing that the consequences of unchecked illegal mining upstream ultimately ripple downstream, adversely affecting families and communities.
The Chief Ministerโs sentiments stressed the critical importance of halting unlawful and hazardous activities, cautioning against the toll they take on the nationโs prosperity and the well-being of citizens.
He expressed profound gratitude to the EPA for the Agencyโs unyielding dedication and invaluable service in fulfilling its mandate of ensuring a healthier and safer environment.
