Residents of Money Sweet Town Alarmed Over Chemical Spill Linked to MNG Gold

Bong County: Residents of Money Sweet Town in Jorquelleh District #2, Bong County, have raised serious environmental and public health concerns following a chemical spill involving a tanker truck transporting hydrochloric acid to MNG Gold Liberia Inc.

The incident occurred on Sunday, January 18, 2026, a short distance from the town, when the tanker reportedly caught fire, causing the chemical to leak into the surrounding environment, including a nearby rubber plantation.

Eyewitnesses told journalists that the chemical flowed through farmlands and moved dangerously close to a community hand pump, which serves as the primary source of drinking water and domestic use for residents.

One resident, speaking out of fear and frustration, said the community no longer feels safe, stressing that the chemical passed alarmingly close to the very hand pump from which residents draw their drinking water.
According to the tanker driver, Isaac Blamo, the fire was caused by a burst tire that immediately ignited flames, engulfing the vehicle and damaging the chemical container, which led to the spill.

The tanker was en route to MNG Gold Liberia Inc.’s mining site in Kokoyah Statutory District #1 but was traveling through Electoral District #2 when the incident occurred.

Tensions escalated on Monday morning as residents mounted roadblocks, demanding the immediate intervention of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and other relevant government authorities.
Affected community members are calling on the Liberian government, through the EPA, to conduct an urgent environmental and public health investigation. They are also urging MNG Gold Liberia Inc. to provide safe drinking water, food assistance, and medical services. Additionally, residents appealed to Representative James Kolleh and the Bong County Legislative Caucus to intervene on their behalf.

Residents report acute water scarcity, air pollution, and fear of chemical inhalation, adding that nearby creeks and other water sources are now suspected to be contaminated.

As of the time of this report, neither the Environmental Protection Agency nor the Bong County Legislative Caucus has issued an official statement regarding the incident.
In response to rising tensions, MNG Gold Liberia authorities—including the company’s Environmental Head, Mr. Raphael Akoi Kennedy Sr., and the mine’s Senior Health Assistant, Mr. Moses Junior—visited the community and urged residents to remain calm while the company works to address the situation.

Following the engagement, the company provided 30 bags of 25-kilogram rice and 40 sacks of bottled mineral water to affected residents. However, community members insist that the assistance is inadequate, emphasizing the need for a long-term clean water supply, continuous medical monitoring, and comprehensive environmental remediation.

The chemical involved in the incident, hydrochloric acid, is a highly corrosive substance commonly used in gold mining operations to clean and process ores, remove impurities, and regulate acidity during mineral extraction.

While hydrochloric acid plays an important role in industrial processes, environmental experts warn that uncontrolled exposure poses serious risks to human health and the environment. Such exposure can contaminate surface and groundwater, destroy soil fertility and vegetation, cause skin burns, eye damage, and respiratory problems, and kill aquatic life when it enters streams and wetlands. Experts caution that acid leakage near farmlands and water sources presents long-term ecological dangers, particularly for rural communities that depend heavily on natural water systems for survival.

MNG Gold Liberia Inc. is a gold mining concession company operating in Kokoyah Statutory District #1, Bong County. The company has been active in Liberia’s mining sector for several years and is known for large-scale gold extraction.

In 2017, the company was linked to a major cyanide spill that raised national concerns about chemical handling, environmental protection, and regulatory oversight in the mining industry.

As investigations are awaited, residents of Money Sweet Town continue to live with uncertainty over the safety of their water, air, and farmlands. Environmental advocates are urging authorities to act swiftly to prevent another environmental disaster and to ensure that mining activities do not come at the expense of community health and ecological sustainability.