Rep. Dunah calls for ArcelorMittal probe

Nimba County District #7 Representative Worlea Saywah Dunah is calling on the House of Representatives to probe ArcelorMittal over an alleged heavy metal pollution of waters including drinking water within the ArcelorMittal concession area in Yekepa, Nimba County.

The Nimba lawmaker complains that the alleged pollution is dangerous to the health newborn and all inhabitants. Rep. Dunah says on 7 August, a local daily here attributed to health practitioner and researcher Eddie Miaway Farngalo that a research conducted on water samples from the ArcelorMittal Steel concession areas showed that water in the communities of Yekepa, Gbapa, Zolowee, Liabala were heavily polluted by high concentration of mercury lead, and arsenic.

According to Rep. Dunah, Mr. Farngalo indicated in his scholarly paper that he collected samples of water from these communities which were scientifically tested at the nuclear chemistry and environmental research centre of the Ghana Atomic energy commission in Accra Ghana in 2014.

He alleges that results established that the level of mercury lead and arsenic in the waters that the inhabitants are drinking is way above the World Health Organization permissible levels. As such, he says it is very dangerous to the health of the people.

Rep. Dunah claims that since its publication, the concessionaire ArcelorMittal is yet to contradict the alleged report. He claims that high concentration of lead in water lead to kidney problem, miscarriage and circulatory problem, adding that mercury in water also causes speech impairment, hearing loss and memory loss, among others.

He additionally alleges that arsenic in water is a major cause of cancer of body, skin, and lungs, cardiovascular disease and diabetes.Then Nimba lawmaker notes that with all these findings, ArcelorMittal by rule now allegedly compels all its employees to drink only mineral bottled water and cook with only mineral water from Monrovia.

Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has forwarded the communication to the Committee on Health to report to the House.

By Bridgett Milton–Edited by Winston W. Parley