Monrovia — The Environmental Protection Agency, working with the Liberia National Police, arrested nearly 20 Chinese nationals Thursday on allegations of illegal mining and extensive environmental destruction in Montserrado County, shutting down all three operational camps linked to the company and turning the foreign nationals over to state security at police headquarters.
The enforcement action, carried out as part of the EPA's ongoing Nationwide Environmental Compliance Monitoring Exercise, targeted Green Forest Camps 1, 2 and 3. EPA Executive Director Emmanuel King Urey Yarkpawolo personally led the enforcement team from the mining site to the Liberia National Police national headquarters in Monrovia.
Speaking at an emergency news conference at LNP headquarters shortly after the arrests, Yarkpawolo said EPA inspectors found severe environmental degradation at two operational camps linked to the company and issued three separate enforcement notices: a halt order for environmental pollution, a non-compliance notice for operating without an environmental permit, and an immediate closure order covering all Green Forest operations. The notices were served through the company's public relations officer, identified as Chris Zanga.
"The enforcement action forms part of the EPA's broader nationwide effort to strengthen environmental compliance, combat illegal and unsustainable mining practices, and protect Liberia's environment and communities from environmental harm," Yarkpawolo said.
Follow us on WhatsApp | LinkedIn for the latest headlines
At the center of the allegations is the company's failure to obtain an environmental permit before commencing large-scale extraction activities. Quoting EPA Director of Environmental Research and Radiation Safety Rafael Sarji Ngumbu, Yarkpawolo said Green Forest's operations allegedly caused widespread environmental destruction and posed serious risks to nearby communities, public health and surrounding ecosystems.
"Green Forest had commenced and continued large-scale exploitation activities without obtaining the required Environmental Permit from the EPA, in violation of Liberia's Environmental Protection and Management Law," the agency stated.
The EPA said the alleged violations fall under Sections 56, 69, 90 and 109 of the Environmental Protection and Management Law, which carry penalties including fines and imprisonment.
Beyond the arrests and shutdown, the EPA ordered the company to immediately halt all activities involving heavy machinery and mineral processing plants, begin environmental restoration and remediation within seven working days, and submit a remediation plan for EPA review and monitoring. Green Forest was also directed to fully comply with the EPA's environmental permitting process before any future consideration of its operations.
Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters
Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox
