J. Nathaniel Daygbor
20 October 2009
The Firestone Rubber Plantation Company, an American Company operating in Harbel Lower Margibi County 45 Kilometers away from Monrovia, has been slammed with a guilty verdict by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a body responsible to oversee pollution and other health hazard related matters.
Over the weekend, the Planning and Economics Affairs Minister Amara Conneh who chairs the EPA Board, has revealed that Firestone-Liberia is found guilty of recent investigation conducted by the Environmental Protection Agency and some international group on the contamination of Ninpu Creek in the Kpayah Town Community in Margibi County, the main operational zone of Firestone-Liberia.
The committee was established by the government of Liberia following complaints by a cross section of citizens from the Kpayah Town for polluting Ninpu Creek. Following reports that Firestone-Liberia was polluting the Creek and thereby creating health hazard for residents, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf wasted no time in constituting a committee to investigate the report. The committee was headed by Planning Minister Amara Conneh.
Releasing the findings into the investigation, Minister Conneh explained how the process went about. According to him, before they began the process, they (the inter agency) first met and drew up the terms of reference to serve as a guide in conducting the investigation. The technical working committee was composed of laboratory technicians, civil society, Firestone and the Kpanyah Town community representatives.
The investigation process included visitations to the affected communities as well as and Firestone operations area in order to understand the context of the allegations, identify critical scientific parameters that were to be tested. He said, the committee was able to identify fourteen critical parameters, eight of whom could be tested locally due to the unavailability of equipment.
The Planning Minister, who chaired the committee, said, they alone with the contending parties, identified three locations from which water samples were collected for testing and engaged Earth Time Inc., a certified Independent Environmental Evaluation Firm which is recognized by the Government of Liberia to assist in the collection of the samples, and to conduct the appropriate analysis of the eight parameters at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon.
Minister Conneh told a news conference that on October 10, of 2009, water samples were collected in the presence of all parties, adding that six samples which needed international testing were air lifted while the remaining eight samples were taken to the Liberian hydrological service laboratory, where the test was conducted, the samples analyzed, and the results released in the presence of all parties.
He furthered explained that foreign test results were brought into the country on Tuesday September 22, 2009 and opened in the presence of all parties including representatives of media institutions in the country.
Speaking during the press conference Friday at the Planning Ministry, Mr. Conneh said, tests conducted both locally and internationally showed that one of the fourteen critical parameters tested, orthophosphate had an elevated level that is above the class III water quality standard of Liberia and is associated to the abnormality of the Ninpu Creek in the Kpanyah Town Community while the rest critical parameters were found to be normal.
He pointed out that he met with Internal Affairs Minister Ambulia Johnson, Firestone and representatives of Kpanyah Town Community representatives to discuss implementation of the mitigating options and have recommended in the report.
He indicated that Firestone Plantation Company is encouraged to increase the capacity and efficiency of its waste treatment methods to minimize effluent discharge into the wetlands. More than that, he indicated that Firestone was also encouraged to buy rubber from small holders in those communities to improve their economic conditions, and that it should partner with the EPA to ensure its compliance with the environmental laws of the Country.
He maintained that the Management of Firestone has agreed to work with the EPA in meeting those mitigating options suggested in the report and at the same time, assured the government of its willingness to work with other partners in creating conditions that will help to cement relations between the management and the community residents.
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To The Commission and Gov't of Liberia:
Firestone should and must be let off the hook on this gross violation. Firestone must be fined and establish a health facility to test those living in and around the vicinity and beyond. Firestone knows the laws govern by US companies opperating in foreign countries and has moral the duties to respect and uphold those duties/laws. Firstone knew that these dumping would cause health problem and yet went ahead and took the chance, probably hoping to get away it. And it surely indeed did!!!
I am ashamed and disappointed by the commission and the gove't of Liberia for not going further than just slapping the company to buy ruber and other petty stuff! This is a bad precedent that will encourage other companies to do same, knowing that they will get let go while our people remain to suffer the life long pain.
The same happened in the day of old with Bong Mine was allowed to leave Liberia without paching up certain affected area, which led to the death our people. Let's take lessons from the past to correct the lessons for the future!!!