Margibi County – A FrontPage Africa investigation has revealed that the Lee Group of Enterprises, a Chinese company operating a rubber processing plant at the border of Bong and Margibi counties, is reportedly ignoring directives from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to provide alternative drinking water for communities affected by contamination of the Nyanfor River.
By: Yawah Y. Jaivey, [email protected]
This comes just five months after the EPA confirmed that the river, the primary water source for local residents, had been polluted with toxic waste from the company.
Following an extensive investigation in August 2024, the EPA concluded that the Lee Group of Enterprises was responsible for contaminating the river, which led to alarming health issues among residents, including skin rashes and other ailments.
Dr. Emmanuel K. Urey-Yarkpawolo, Executive Director of the EPA, emphasized the severity of the situation at the time, noting that several key water quality parameters had exceeded permissible limits near the company’s facility.
The EPA’s investigation uncovered significant deficiencies in the company’s handling and disposal of industrial waste, raising urgent concerns about chemical management and environmental monitoring.
In response, the agency issued a mandate for the immediate provision of clean water alternatives for affected communities and called for stricter regulatory oversight of the Lee Group’s operations.
However, during a visit to the affected communities this week, local residents expressed frustration over the reported failure of the Lee Group of Enterprises to comply with the EPA’s directive.
Community Outrage
Mr. William B. Singbah, Acting Administrator of the Nyanforla Community, expressed disappointment, stating, “Not a single day has anyone from the company come to provide safe drinking water, leaving us to rely on the polluted river, especially this dry season when the river level is low, for our daily needs.”
Villagers from other affected towns and villages, including Yarkpazuah, David Town, and El-Town, voiced similar concerns. They continue to suffer the devastating effects of the pollution, with many fearing long-term health consequences. Despite multiple complaints and government mandates, the Lee Group has reportedly continued its operations without apparent accountability.
Call for Government Action
Residents are now calling for urgent government action to ensure safe access to drinking water and to hold the Lee Group of Enterprises accountable for its environmental negligence. The community is urging the government to intervene before the health and livelihoods of the villagers are further compromised.
Efforts by FrontPage Africa to contact the management of the Lee Group of Enterprises for comment were unsuccessful. Security personnel at the company’s facility stated that senior management was unavailable for interviews.
As the situation persists, local communities remain in a state of uncertainty, left to contend with both the health risks of contaminated water and the lack of corporate responsibility from one of the largest industrial operations in Liberia.
