Pokpaken, Jedepo District, Sinoe County – September 26, 2025
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has taken strong action against illegal mining in Liberia, shutting down a major illicit operation in Pokpaken, Jedepo District, Sinoe County, and stopping another illegal activity near the University of Liberia’s Fendell campus in Montserrado County.
By Edwin G. Genoway, Jr(231886458910)[email protected]
A team from the Ministry, led by the Director of Mines, Alwell Aloysius Carr, recently visited Pokpaken after receiving complaints from local residents. The team discovered that illegal miners were damaging the environment and stealing mineral resources from the area.
When the team arrived, the miners ran away and took the keys to an excavator that was being used for the illegal work.
The Ministry has now issued a seizure order for the excavator and instructed its inspectors and local agents to keep the machine grounded.
They have also called on state security to help prevent any future illegal mining in the area.
Director Carr said while many community members supported the Ministry’s actions, some people in the area were helping the illegal miners by blocking efforts to stop them.
He warned that protecting Liberia’s mineral resources is a shared responsibility and urged all citizens to support legal and safe mining.
“What is under the ground here belongs to our people and they are the only people that can provide the real help in protecting our mineral, I urge all Liberians to put hands on desk to help the Ministry of Mines implement all the laws on the books that protects our natural resources the Ministry of Mines including my department that is responsible for this will not rest until the right policy is implemented by my team,” he said.
In a separate operation, the Ministry also stopped illegal laterite mining near the University of Liberia’s Fendell campus. Thee Ministry found four trucks and a loader being used to move large amounts of laterite from the area. With the help of state security, the Ministry confiscated the keys and arrested those involved.
Director Carr, who was part of the team that stopped the operation at Fendell, said mining in such a sensitive area is a serious violation of the country’s mining laws.
He praised the leadership of Mines and Energy Minister Wilmot Paye for supporting the Ministry’s Compliance Enforcement Team and helping build the capacity of technical staff to properly regulate the mining sector.
“The illegal mining at Fendell is a clear abuse of our laws,” Director Carr said. “We are committed to stopping these acts wherever they happen, and we are calling on all citizens to follow the law and avoid illegal mining.”
The Ministry of Mines and Energy says it will continue to monitor mining activities across the country and take action against any violations to ensure Liberia’s natural resources are used properly and legally.
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