By: Emmanuel M. Kangar, Jr.
As part of its ongoing County Tour, Team B of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) commenced a comprehensive inspection in River Gee County, focusing on the alarming rise of illegal mining activities that threaten the region’s environment and public health.
The team began its fieldwork with a visit to Nanee Creek in Nanee Town, Tienpo District, where they discovered Ghanaian miners actively operating dredging machines in the river. This method of mining not only violates environmental laws but also poses serious threats to aquatic ecosystems and the livelihoods of communities dependent on the waterway.
Further inspections were carried out in the illegal mining hotspots of Dartuken and Kaytoken, also in Tienpo District. According to the EPA, all observed Class C miners in these areas were using heavy-duty excavators, machinery strictly regulated under environmental laws. The use of such equipment has led to significant land degradation, deforestation, and widespread water pollution, raising major concerns about long-term environmental sustainability in the region.
In a related development, the EPA team also visited the operational site of Gee Mining Resources located in Tarluken, Nyanewleken District. The site inspection was part of the agency’s efforts to ensure compliance with environmental regulations by licensed mining operators.
The EPA reaffirmed its commitment to enforcing environmental laws and vowed to intensify monitoring and enforcement actions against illegal miners in the country .
