By Fatima Kpaka
Freetown, Sierra Leone, 19 July 2026: The Environment Protection Agency (EPA) Sierra Leone, working in collaboration with the Sierra Leone Police, has dismantled a large illegal mining camp in Mayata Village, Kholifa Rowala Chiefdom, Tonkolili District, where massive dredges had been installed to exploit the Pampana River.
EPA Executive Chairman Abu-Bakarr Massaquoi described the operation as more than an environmental enforcement action, calling it “an attack on the health, livelihoods and dignity of the many communities that depend on this river for water, farming, fishing and daily life.”
The Pampana River, which forms part of the wider Taia-Jong river system, is a vital source of water and sustenance for thousands of people. Officials warned that damage caused by dredging at one point can spread downstream, polluting water, destroying livelihoods, and increasing the risk of disease across several communities.
“No private interest should be allowed to profit from damaging rivers that sustain thousands of people,” Massaquoi stressed, reaffirming the EPA’s commitment to halting illegal dredging nationwide.
The agency has urged communities, traditional leaders, and citizens to support its campaign by reporting illegal activities and helping safeguard Sierra Leone’s rivers, health, and future.