Gbarpolu Tightens Grip on Illicit Mining

By Stephen G. Fellajuah

MONROVIA, Liberia, August 17, 2026 — Gbarpolu County authorities have introduced new monitoring measures requiring mining operators entering the county to present valid licenses for verification as part of a crackdown on illicit mining.

County Superintendent Sam K. Zinnah said the measures were introduced after his administration observed what he described as a sharp increase in unauthorized mining activities across the county.

Speaking in an interview Friday, August 14, at Murek Plaza in Monrovia, Zinnah said a checkpoint at the county’s entry point is being used to scrutinize mining operators and companies before they are allowed to proceed to mining areas.

According to him, miners are required to present copies of valid licenses to establish whether they are legally authorized to conduct their respective categories of mining activities.

The verification covers operators involved in large-scale, industrial, semi-mechanized, artisanal and small-scale mining, he said.

Zinnah said the measure is intended to reduce the movement of unauthorized miners into Gbarpolu and strengthen the county administration’s ability to monitor activities in the sector.

The county has also introduced measures targeting mining companies preparing to leave their operational areas.

According to Zinnah, teams are dispatched to mining sites before companies depart to determine whether mining pits have been properly closed and whether outstanding obligations to affected communities have been addressed.

Those obligations include commitments contained in memoranda of understanding between mining operators and host communities.

“No company should leave the county without ensuring that the environmental and community obligations associated with its operations have been addressed,” Zinnah said.

The measures come amid a broader nationwide campaign by President Joseph Nyuma Boakai’s administration against illicit mining and mineral smuggling.

The government has undertaken field inspections, arrests and equipment seizures and referred some alleged violations for prosecution as part of the campaign.

President Boakai on June 26, 2026, issued Executive Order No. 167 establishing the Protect Our Resources Taskforce (PORT) to coordinate efforts against illicit mining across Liberia.

The task force is mandated to halt illegal mining operations, investigate suspected violations, confiscate equipment used in illicit activities and facilitate arrests and prosecutions in coordination with national security agencies.

Its mandate also includes protecting waterways, wetlands, forests and farmlands and addressing the use of hazardous substances, including mercury and cyanide, in mining operations.

Zinnah said tighter controls are particularly important for Gbarpolu because of the county’s substantial mineral resources.

He argued that the value of resources extracted from the county is significantly greater than the revenue currently captured by the government.

According to the Superintendent, stronger coordination between county authorities and central government agencies could improve revenue collection and ensure that the country receives greater benefits from its mineral resources.

Zinnah suggested that improved management of natural resources nationwide could significantly increase government revenue and provide additional financing for development.

“As the budget increases, the government will be able to build this country,” he said.

The Superintendent’s suggestion that stronger natural-resource management could help push Liberia’s national budget toward US$5 billion, however, was not accompanied by detailed revenue projections showing how that figure could be achieved.

Beyond revenue losses, authorities have raised concerns about the environmental and social consequences of illicit mining.

Unregulated mining has been associated with damage to forests and wetlands, contamination and diversion of waterways, degradation of farmland and mineral smuggling.

Gbarpolu’s new monitoring measures, Zinnah said, are intended to complement the national government’s efforts to ensure that mining activities are legally conducted, environmentally responsible and provide greater benefits to communities and the country.