UPDATE as of June 6, 2018: Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) has been fined with $2.7 million USD as a result of the accident at the Ahafo mine operation.
On Saturday, April 7th, six construction workers were killed in an accident at a mine operated by Newmont Mining Corporation in central Ghana. The workers died instantly when a concrete floor collapsed on them at the Ahafo Kenyasi mine, the world’s most lucrative gold mine.
The Global Greengrants Fund community is shocked and devastated by this news, and we stand in solidarity with the victims and their families during this difficult time.
Global Greengrants Fund supports grassroots groups in Ghana affected by Newmont Mining Corporation and their operations, in their efforts to hold the company accountable for practices that harm both the environment and violate the rights of local people. We stand with our grantees, and Livelihood and Environment Ghana (LEG), who shared the following statement about the accident with local press:
We, the Civil Society Organizations operating in the Ahafo south project of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and Youth Association within the five mining affected communities in the Asutifi North District of Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana welcome you all to this important press conference.
This press conference is aimed to condemn the recent incident that occurred in Newmont Ahafo mine site at Ntotroso in the Brong Ahafo Region of Ghana which took away the lives of six able men and seriously injured four others who were workers of Consar Limited, a contractor of Newmont. Consar Limited, whilst reclaiming the tunnel roof at Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo mill expansion project, a concrete slab fell on ten of the workers and killed six men on the spot and injured four others who were under the shell.
We note sadly that the incident which occurred on Saturday 7th April, 2018 is not the first time the company is recording such an unfortunate episode. We remember in October, 2005 two gentlemen, Kofi Agyekum and Yaw Frimpong were drowned in Newmont’s water storage facility in their Ahafo mine area. Ibrahim Issaka also got drowned in the same water storage facility about five year ago. In 2008 Francis Sarfo a boy of about ten years was knocked down and killed by one of the Newmont’s vehicles and many more.
In 2005, the same company (Newmont) released fecal matter into a community river (River Asuapre). On October 10th, 2009 some amount of cyanide solution was also released into the external environment which caused excessive damage to aquatic life and plants that cost the company a fine of seven million US dollars (USD$ 7 million). Again on the 30th June, 2009 Salamatu Ibrahim and a man from Acherensua were knocked down by one of the vehicles owned by Pergah Transport Limited (a contractor of Newmont). The man instantly died and Salamatu sustained fatal injuries (20% deformed and 80% incapacitated-according to Doctor’s report).
Aforementioned instances demonstrated the negligence and lawlessness of Newmont. We think the recent incident and many others mentioned above could have been avoided with due diligence and care. Is it not the same company which boasts of proper health and safety measures as their core value? Then why all these episodes?
We commend the sector minister Hon. Peter Amiwu and the Minerals Commission of Ghana for their timely visit to the scene. However, we wish to charge the ministry, Minerals Commission and other regulatory bodies in charge to set up an independent committee to investigate the incident thoroughly.
We call on the state to exercise its duty to promote, protect and defend human and people’s rights including ensuring corporate responsibility in the areas of priority such as labor rights and working conditions. Human rights and land related human rights and environmental- related human rights in the context of their business activities.
We also call on companies to stop subletting contracts to sub-contractors who often cause most of these accidents. How many workers are directly employed by the mining companies themselves, which number are contract workers and on what duration?
We further call on government for ratification of the International Labor Organization Convention 176 on Health and Safety in Mines and ensure full compliance by the companies.
We finally call on the minister to ensure that adequate compensation is paid to the deceased persons’ families and the four workers who were injured.
We end here by thanking the media for coming even with a very short notice and congratulate Global Greengrants Fund and TWN-Africa for their continuous support to communities’ course.