Published: July 15, 2026
HARPER, Maryland County — Grand Kru County authorities are turning to town and paramount chiefs to combat illegal mining, saying the county’s rugged terrain and limited security resources have made enforcement by officers alone impossible, Superintendent Antoinette Worlee Nimely said.
Speaking in an interview with reporters in Harper, Nimely said vast forests and rough terrain make it difficult for security officers to monitor illegal mining operations across the county.
“The terrain in Grand Kru is tough, and much of the mining is taking place deep in the forests where access is not easy,” she said.
The superintendent said county authorities had begun engaging town chiefs and paramount chiefs because they hold authority over their communities and know who is operating in the remote mining areas.
“We are talking to our town chiefs and paramount chiefs because these are their areas of control. They know who is in those bushes, and we are asking them to help us preserve our land,” Nimely said.
She urged miners to adopt responsible practices, including reclaiming mined-out land.
“If people are going to mine, they should do it properly and reclaim the land afterward. You cannot leave behind huge valleys and open pits. We have to think about the people who will come after us,” she said.
While acknowledging the efforts of the Joint Security, Nimely said the county lacks the resources to maintain a permanent security presence in remote communities.
“As soon as security leaves one area, something else begins elsewhere because we simply do not have the resources to keep officers stationed everywhere,” she said.
She welcomed President Joseph Boakai’s plan to establish a national task force on illegal mining, saying she hoped it would sharply reduce illicit mining in Grand Kru. The superintendent also appealed to residents to work alongside traditional leaders and security agencies to protect the county’s natural resources.
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