Environmental advocate, Matthew Sieh Wisseh, has called for stronger environmental safeguards in the mining sector.
Wisseh warned that the pursuit of mineral wealth must not come at the expense of clean water and fertile agricultural land.
He drew attention to President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s commitment to responsible resource management under the ARREST Agenda.
Wisseh said, the country stands at a critical crossroads as mining activities continue to expand in resource-rich counties.
“Pres. Boakai has made it clear that the natural resources must build the country, not break it. The real question is whether the wealth beneath our soil will create lasting prosperity or leave behind polluted rivers and degraded farmland.”
According to Wisseh, the vast freshwater resources, face growing threats from mining-related activities. “When rivers become polluted, communities suffer the consequences through poor drinking water quality, declining fish stocks, and damage to livelihoods that depend on these water sources.” Wisseh also expressed concern over the continued use of mercury in some artisanal mining operations. He described it as a serious environmental and public health issue.
“The health of our people must remain at the center of every development decision. Economic growth should never come at the cost of the wellbeing of Liberian families.”
Beyond water protection, Wisseh highlighted the impact of mining on agricultural land.
He noted that the removal of topsoil and land degradation can undermine national food security efforts. “We cannot claim to be strengthening agriculture while allowing productive farmland to become sterile and unusable. Every acre of land lost to poor mining practices is an acre that could have been producing food for families.”
Wisseh meanwhile, argued that protecting soil quality is essential to achieve the goals outlined in government’s ARREST Agenda, particularly those related to agriculture and rural development.
To address these challenges, he called for strict enforcement of environmental regulations, the expansion of mercury-free mining technologies, and the introduction of mandatory mine restoration bonds.
“Mining is not the problem. The issue is whether we are willing to mine responsibly and ensure that companies restore the environment after extracting our resources.”
Wisseh further urged authorities to strengthen monitoring mechanisms and ensure that mining companies are held accountable for environmental damages.
