Government inaugurates committee to review safety in mining sector

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources has inaugurated a committee to undertake a general review of the health and safety regime in the mining sector.

The move comes on the back of recommendations of the committee tasked to investigate the Bogoso-Appiatse explosion in the Western Region which rendered about 900 people homeless, leaving 13 dead.

Speaking at the inauguration, the sector minister Samuel Abu Jinapor gave the assurance that the government will not renege on its duty to holistically deal with healthy and safety issues in the mining sector.

“The Appiatse incident is not an isolated incident in this country. In 2020 two different incidents in Ayanfori in the Upper Denkyira West district of the Western Region killed a total of 13 people and in May last year three people were killed and several others killed in Breman also in Upper Denkyira West district when a mining pit caved in,”  he said.

“This happened just about after a week after an underground pit of AngloGold Ashanti  Obuasi mine also caved in killing one person. We cannot continue to treat these as isolated incidents, we must take a holistic approach to dealing with health and safety issues in the mining industry.”

Jinapor added: “I have therefore pursuant to section 101 of the Minerals and Mining Act 206 act 703 taken a decision to establish this ministerial committee of inquiry to review the entire health and safety regime of the mining industry in our our country, the task which the committee is to undertake is one that require expertise.”

Fred Dzakpata

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