15 killed in course of Newmont Ahafo Mine operations

Accra, Nov. 8, GNA - Wacam, human rights and mining advocacy nongovernmental organisation, has called on the Government to investigate the causes of death of 15 persons in the course of the operations of Newmont Ghana Gold Ahafo Mine.

Government should also ensure that appropriate compensation is paid to the families of the victims.

A letter titled "REPORT ON HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS AND ACCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONS OF NEWMONT AHAFO MINE" signed by Mr Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director of Wacam, addressed to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and copied to GNA, alleged that the 15 died as a result of being drowned in poorly constructed dams of Newmont or knocked down by vehicles working for the Company. Wacam said the 15 deaths it investigations revealed was only a small picture of a big safety and health risks associated with the operations of the Mine and added that it was sad to state that Newmont Ahafo Mine had been insensitive to these problems and had characterised the deaths as normal collaterals.

"Considering the safety, social, economic and cultural problems associated with the dams of Newmont Ahafo mine, we have cause to doubt whether the dams were constructed based on internationally accepted safety standards," the letter stated.

Wacam said in 2006, the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) provided a $125 million loan to Newmont to develop the Ahafo Mine and the IFC, promised to provide expertise and guidance to the Company to meet its social and environmental standards. "Newmont Ahafo Mine is thus required to meet the IFC Performance Standard 4 on Community Health, Safety and Security, which states that clients of IFC including Newmont Ahafo Mine have the 'responsibility to avoid or minimize the risks and impacts to community health, safety and security that may arise from project activities'. "One of the stated objectives of the "IFC Performance Standard 4" is 'avoid or minimize risks to and impacts on the health and safety of the local community during the project life cycle from both routine and non-routine circumstances.'

"Mining companies are required to operate in a way that would not undermine the health and safety of people living in the communities in which they operate. A safe mine is the hall mark of a responsible mining company. One of the stated core values of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (Ahafo mine) is "demand leadership in safety, stewardship of the environment and social responsibility". Wacam said: "Despite the proclaimed values of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the requirement to meet the IFC Performance Standard 4, WACAM is deeply worried about the increasing deaths, accidents, injuries, and health and safety risks associated with the operations of Newmont Ahafo Mine.

"There had been instances where community people got drowned and died in dams constructed by Newmont Ahafo Mine on rivers for its operations whilst many community people have died or suffered permanent injuries to their bodies when they were knocked down by vehicles belonging to Newmont Ahafo Mine or ancillary companies of Newmont. "The dams constructed by Newmont Ahafo mine have created safety, economic and social problems for many communities. For example communities living around the dam constructed by Newmont Ahafo Mine on river Subri complained to the Company's Management that the dam had resulted in social exclusion by increasing the travelling distance to other communities.

"The people stated that they do not feel safe because people had drowned in the dam and the blockage of the flow of river Subri by the dam has forced reptiles such as snakes including big pythons to invade their communities thus increasing the incidence of snake bites in the communities among other problems.

"The dams have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other flies. The communities have complained about increased malaria incidence and made allegations on the incidence of cases of buruli ulcer. "The Concerned Farmers of Awonsu near Ntotroso also complained that they had experienced two floods from the Environmental Control Dam 2 (ECD 2) on 13th September 2007 when the company opened the spillway of the dam and 9th July 2010 which the company attributed to a heavy rainfall.

"Another important issue that relates to the health and safety of the people in Ntotroso and nearby communities is the "Boom Gate" of the company established on the haul road which crosses the Ntotroso - Kenyase road. The Boom Gate stops all vehicular and human movement when the Dump Trucks are moving on the Haul road and this causes the delay of vehicles conveying sick people referred from Gyedu Health Centre to Hwidiem Government Hospital on emergency through Kenyase. "An important issue that affects the health and safety of communities in the catchment area of the company is the increasing rate of accidents involving Newmont Ahafo vehicles or ancillary companies of Newmont resulting in the death of people and causing serious injuries to the victims."

REPORT ON HEALTH AND SAFETY RISKS AND ACCIDENTS ASSOCIATED WITH THE OPERATIONS OF NEWMONT AHAFO MINE

Accra, Nov. 8, GNA - Below is the full text of a letter Mr Daniel Owusu-Koranteng Executive Director of Wacam, a human rights and mining advocacy, nongovernmental organisation, sent to the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources.

"Official documents of Newmont Ghana Gold Ahafo mine indicate that the company requested for an update of the first permit that was issued in 2000 and the updated permit was approved in April 2005 because of changed scope of the Ahafo project.

"Upon the granting of the updated permit, Newmont Ahafo mine established a mill, waste rock disposal facilities, water storage facility, tailings storage facility, environmental control dams, haul roads and other mine infrastructure. The company poured its first gold in July 2006.

"In 2006, the World Bank's International Finance Corporation (IFC) provided a $125 million loan to Newmont to develop the Ahafo mine and the IFC, promised to provide expertise and guidance to the company to meet its social and environmental standards. "Newmont Ahafo mine is thus required to meet the IFC Performance Standard 4 on Community Health, Safety and Security which states that clients of IFC including Newmont Ahafo mine have the "responsibility to avoid or minimize the risks and impacts to community health, safety and security that may arise from project activities". "One of the stated objectives of the IFC Performance Standard 4 is to, "To avoid or minimize risks to and impacts on the health and safety of the local community during the project life cycle from both routine and non-routine circumstances"

"Mining companies are required to operate in a way that would not undermine the health and safety of people living in the communities in which they operate. A safe mine is the hall mark of a responsible mining company. One of the stated core values of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (Ahafo mine) is "demand leadership in safety, stewardship of the environment and social responsibility".

"Despite the proclaimed values of Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the requirement to meet the IFC Performance Standard 4, Wacam is deeply worried about the increasing deaths, accidents, injuries, and health and safety risks associated with the operations of Newmont Ahafo mine. "There had been instances where community people got drowned and died in dams constructed by Newmont Ahafo mine on rivers for its operations whilst many community people have died or suffered permanent injuries to their bodies when they were knocked down by vehicles belonging to Newmont Ahafo mine or ancillary companies of Newmont. "The dams constructed by Newmont Ahafo mine have created safety, economic and social problems for many communities. For example communities living around the dam constructed by Newmont Ahafo mine on river Subri complained to the company management that the dam had resulted in social exclusion by increasing the distance to other communities. The people stated that they do not feel safe because people had drowned in the dam and the blockage of the flow of river Subri by the dam has forced reptiles such as snakes including big pythons to invade their communities thus increasing the incidence of snake bites in the communities among other problems. The dams have become breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other flies. The communities have complained about increased malaria incidence and made allegations on the incidence of cases of buruli ulcer.

(Picture above shows one of the pythons that visit the homes of some communities affected by the Subri Dam. This has become a regular occurrence in the communities affected by the construction of the Subri Dam) "The Concerned Farmers of Awonsu near Ntotroso also complained that they had experienced two floods from the Environmental Control Dam 2 (ECD 2) on 13th September 2007 when the company opened the spillway of the dam and 9th July 2010 which the company attributed to a heavy rainfall.

Another important issue that relates to the health and safety of the people in Ntotroso and nearby communities is the "Boom Gate" of the company established on the haul road which crosses the Ntotroso - Kenyase road. The Boom Gate stops all vehicular and human movement when the Dump Trucks are moving on the Haul road and this causes the delay of vehicles conveying sick people referred from Gyedu Health Centre to Hwidiem Government Hospital on emergency through Kenyase. "An important issue that affects the health and safety of communities in the catchment area of the company is the increasing rate of accidents involving Newmont Ahafo vehicles or ancillary companies of Newmont resulting in the death of people and causing serious injuries to the victims.

"To buttress the importance of the health and safety risks associated with the Newmont Ahafo mine, we provide below a table that details a number of deaths of people who were knocked down by Newmont vehicles or ancillary companies of Newmont and other deaths through drowning in dams;

Name of Dead person Community Number of people who died Cause of death Age Date Comments Amma Konadu Hwidiem 1 Knocked down by Newmont's vehicle 33 years 2009

Lord Amankwah Atronie 1 Knocked down by Newmont's vehicle 13 years 5th April 2007

3 School Children were knocked down by Newmont's vehicle. One child died and one of the two survivors who is a young pupil has suffered mental damage as a result of the accident Adu Isaac Gyedu 1 Died whilst constructing a borehole for Newmont in one of the communities affected by the Subri Dam 44yrs

Tutuka 1 Drowned in Subri Dam 32yrs 2005

Yaw Frimpong Tutuka 1 Drowned in Subri Dam 28yrs 2005

Yaw Amadu Kantinka 1 Drowned in Environmental Control Dam 4(ECD 4) 54yrs 12/3/10

Yaw Boame Kantinka 1 Drowned in ECD 4 31yrs 22/09/09

Gosu Godfred Acherensua to Maabeng 1 Knocked down by a vehicle belonging to AMS(Ancillary company of Newmont) 70yrs 2008

Lopez Boateng Ntotroso 1 Knocked down by Newmont's vehicle 14yrs 24th Sept. 2009

Kofi Sarfo Kenyase No 2 1 Knocked down by Newmont's vehicle 10yrs 2009

Akwasi Aning Achirensua 1 Killed by Perga Transport (Ancillary company of Newmont providing transport service for Newmont's employees). Three people were knocked down and one person died. One of the victims by name Alima had her leg amputated. 56yrs 2009

Maame Afua Dufie and son Gideon Boateng Atta ne Atta 2 Killed by Newmont's vehicle. 38yrs and 10 yrs

Maame Brago 1 Killed by vehicle of AMS and ancillary company of Newmont 4 years 10th Sept. 2010

The vehicle of AMS knocked Madam Mercy Yeboah and her two children killing Maame Brago who is 4 years old. Madam Mercy Yebaoh is bedridden and currently on admission at Okomfo Anokye Hospital

"On 29th September 2007, Hagar Awelaada was knocked down on the Kenyase-Ntotroso road by vehicle with registration number GW 4297W belonging to African Mining Services (AMS) which is one of the ancillary companies of Newmont Ahafo mine. A Medical Report on Hagar Awelaada from the Surgical Division of the Military Hospital, Accra of 18th November 2008 and signed by Dr Joshua Amegbor revealed injuries such as deep lacerations at medial aspect of left thigh , deep lacerations at lateral aspect of left thigh and extensive frictional burns of right hip. According to the Medical Report, the accident had left incapacity and disfigurement of Hagar Awelaada in the form of pain and extensive scars from injuries assessed at 5% incapacity and 20% disfigurement. "Hagar Awelaada was 6 years when the accident occurred and according to her father, some of the complaints of the child include limping, intermittent swelling of the child's feet and inability to walk without experiencing pain.

"Though the result of our investigations into the health and safety risks of Newmont Ahafo operations indicate 15 deaths and injuries to community people, it is only a small picture of a big safety and health risk associated with the operations of the mine. It is sad to state that Newmont Ahafo mine had been insensitive to these problems and had countered the community problems as normal. "Considering the safety, social, economic and cultural problems associated with the dams of Newmont Ahafo mine, we have cause to doubt whether the dams were constructed based on internationally accepted safety standards.

"We call on government to institute investigations into the social, economic, safety, cultural problems associated with the dams constructed by Newmont Ahafo mine for its operations. "We further call on government to investigate these deaths and ensure that appropriate compensations are paid to the victims and their families." Signed Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director- Wacam. End text. 8 Nov. 10