Grand Bassa – A combined team from the Grand Bassa County Administration, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Liberia Broadcasting System (LBS) has started a fact-finding mission in District One in response to reports of a possible oil discovery in Doewein Town, about fifteen minutes from the Owengrove Checkpoint.
The group, led by Grand Bassa Administrative Officer James W. Duen and supported by EPA officials, began engaging with the community on Monday. The team worked with district and city officials to collect samples for laboratory testing. Authorities say that once the results are handed to the County Administration, Grand Bassa County citizens will be informed.
Residents reported the history of the black substance in the neighborhood during the sample collection procedure. While they awaited official confirmation, a number of residents reportedly filled hundreds of six-gallon containers with what they believed to be “oil” and stored it in their houses.
Traces of the black material were found after technical teams and locals dug in several locations across Doewein Town. Officials warn that until laboratory testing by EPA personnel is finished, the substance cannot yet be verified as crude oil.
Credit: Ablee-Jay TV
