Kenyase (B/A), Sept. 15, GNA - Mr. Opoku Peprah, Asutifi District Chief Executive, has reiterated the need for mining companies to provide safety equipment for their employees to protect them against preventable accidents.

"As a mining company the safety of its workers must be at the centre of any production strategy. However complex and robotic the machines are, they will need a human touch before they can efficiently work", he said.

Mr. Peprah was speaking at the annual Zone 2 Mine Safety and First Aid Competition organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines in conjunction with the Mines Inspectorate Division of the Ministry of Mines and hosted by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited at Kenyase on Saturday. The competition precedes the national contest to be held in October under the theme, "The Right Way, the Safe Way, Everyday." It was aimed at bringing together mining companies and community representatives towards creating safety and first aid awareness among themselves.

Mr. Peprah called on Newmont Ghana Gold Limited and the community to stay committed to maintaining a healthy environment for their mutual benefit.

Five teams representing Newmont Ahafo site, AngloGold Ashanti at Obuasi, Chirano Mines at Chirano, Ghana Bauxite Company Limited at Awaso and Central Africa Gold Company Limited at Bibiani took part in the competition.

The Central Africa Gold Company Limited at Bibiani emerged as the overall winner in a quiz competition of oral and practical safety and first aid and AngloGold Ashanti the second position, whilst Newmont placed third.

Newmont emerged victorious in a demonstration by its local brigade first aid team and qualified together with Chirano Mines to take part in the national competition. The teams were presented with prizes and first aid certificates of participation.

Mr. Dan Michaelsen, General Manager in charge of Environment and Social Responsibility, Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, noted with regret that "there is a perception that mining companies care little about the safety of human life and the environment".

"Mining companies have a great deal of responsibility to ensure that their activities are carried out under the safest possible condition and with minimum negative impact on the environment. "This responsibility extends not only to employees but also to communities in which we operate", he said.

In a speech read for her Ms. Joyce R. Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Chamber of Mines, said the industry was faced with numerous challenges including illegal mining on mining companies' concessions, issues on compensation and effects of blasting. On illegal mining, she said, the Chamber was working with the Minerals Commission as well as the sector ministry to find a sustainable solution to the problem.

Ms. Aryee said the Chamber had requested the government to use part of the mineral development fund to explore concessions for small-scale miners in support of the development and promotion of artisanal and small-scale mining.

On blasting, Ms. Joyce Aryee expressed concern about lack of indigenous blasting standards that suit local conditions and "the industry has had to rely on standards in countries such as Australia and the United States".

To address the concern the Chamber in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Council and the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission, had obtained the support of the Mining Sector Support Programme (MSSP) of the European Union to do a study and establish the requisite standards. Mr. Jonathan Ahenkorah, Chief Inspector of Mines, stressed the need for co-operation between the inspectorate and chiefs to stem the activities of 'galamsey' operators, as their activities were source of conflicts between them and mining companies. "We want to discourage galamsey operations so chiefs should be directly involved in the leasing of land so people would find it uncomfortable to engage in the operations", he said. The chief Inspector announced plans by the Inspectorate Division to set up a training school to train small scale miners on safer mining and regularise their operations to employ more workers.