The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has been notified through its Inspectorate Office in Maryland County of a chemical spill from the “Ity Gold Mine” near Zouan-Houien in Ivory Coast.
This chemical spill has affected the Cavalla River, which Liberia shares with Ivory Coast and the pollution has resulted in the death of fish, and local populations, from the Ivorian side have reported symptoms such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and headaches.
In response to the notification date of July 16, 2024, the EPA management convened an emergency meeting on July 19, 2024, with key national stakeholders to discuss a consolidated approach to assessing the extent of the spill event on Liberia water resources in Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties and to prevent further escalation of the situation.
The joint meeting included representatives from the National Disaster Management Agency (NDMA), the Ministry of National Defense (MOD), the National Public Health Institute of Liberia (NPHIL), the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA), the Liberia Maritime Authority (LiMA), and the Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME).
Following this strategic emergency meeting, a technical team, including media representatives from national stakeholders, was established to raise public awareness about the incident and to conduct a scoping visit to Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties.
The team will assess the situation and report back to the government. Additionally, initial steps have been taken through the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to contact the Government of Ivory Coast and the Mano River Union to obtain more detailed incident reports and other pertinent information.
Local authorities in Grand Gedeh and Maryland counties have been alerted, and public awareness campaigns are being conducted in communities close to the affected area.
The EPA said it along with partners are committed to taking all necessary measures to protect the health and safety of the affected communities and the environment and assured that further updates will be provided as more information becomes available.
