Monrovia, Liberia – President Joseph Nyuma Boakai, Sr. has created a new multi-agency enforcement unit, the Protect Our Resources Taskforce, and placed veteran security officer Abraham Kromah in charge as the government moves to confront illegal mining across Liberia.
The taskforce was established under Executive Order No. 167 and is mandated to go after illegal mining networks accused of destroying the environment, robbing the state of revenue, and weakening government control in mining areas. It has the authority to seize equipment, arrest offenders, and break up operations that have long operated with little restraint.
For communities living near mining sites, the issue is not only about stolen revenue. It is also about damaged rivers, destroyed forests, polluted water, and the slow erosion of livelihoods. Years of unchecked activity have left many counties dealing with environmental harm that residents say has gone unanswered for too long.
The new taskforce includes senior security and government officials such as Ashford Peal, Prince Mulbah, Tarnue Kesselly, and Charles Johnson, alongside representatives from the Ministry of Mines and Energy, the Environmental Protection Agency, the Armed Forces of Liberia, and the Liberia National Police. Their shared mandate is to restore state authority in mining zones and enforce the law with greater speed and coordination.
To help ensure accountability, the Executive Order requires the taskforce to publish information on enforcement actions and submit quarterly reports to the President. Officials say this is meant to improve transparency and reassure the public that the crackdown will not remain on paper.
With Kromah, a former police director and national security advisor, leading the unit, the Boakai administration is sending a clear message that illegal mining will no longer be treated as a minor regulatory problem. It is now being framed as a national security, revenue, and environmental crisis.
The Ministry of Mines and Energy has repeatedly warned that illegal mining is costing Liberia badly in lost revenue and weakened oversight. The Environmental Protection Agency has also raised alarms about mercury contamination, river siltation, and the growing damage linked to unregulated mining operations.
The government’s new approach suggests that Liberia is entering a tougher phase in its response—one that will test whether enforcement can finally match the scale of the problem.
