Newmont refutes allegations on safety standards

Newmont Ghana Gold Limited says it is committed to operating safely and responsibly in its operations and projects in the country.

“We are committed to the continuous improvement of our health, well-being and safety procedures and standards. Newmont’s first priority remains the safety of our neighbors, employees and contractors.”

Adiki Ofeibea Ayitevie, Regional Manager Communications Newmont Ghana, explained in an interview with B&FT in Accra said: “The health and safety of our employees and our neighbors is of utmost importance and is taken very seriously as part of our business, and we continuously seek to improve our safety practices and methods.

“We regret and are deeply concerned with any fatality or injury that occurs from activities of Newmont employees and our contractors, whether inside the boundaries of our mine areas or outside the operations on public roads or in communities.”

She made this known when reacting to various allegations made by civil society organisations and some community members concerning its environmental health and safety measures in its Ahafo mine project located in the Brong Ahafo Region.

Ayitevie explained that Newmont recognised from the earliest days of the Ahafo project feasibility study that road traffic safety and related accidents in Ghana were amongst the highest in any country where Newmont had previously worked.

“As a result of the initial project risk assessments and the health impact assessment, the company has continuously strived to put measures in place to address road safety risks. These measures include extensive, regular and frequent training for all employees and contractors in addition to numerous efforts with external stakeholders and local communities to increase awareness and improve safety in and around the mine-site area.

“The facilities at Ahafo which contain “dams” or engineered embankments have been designed and constructed to international standards. Similarly, all embankments which are larger than 15 metres in elevation were reviewed by independent engineers during both the design and construction phase. Embankments are also independently audited annually to ensure facilities are operating as designed. To date, no design or operational issues have been identified by any of the independent reviews or audits.”

She mentioned that the Ahafo operation has not had a mine work-related fatality associated with its mine operations since production began in 2006.

However, in a recent report released by the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining (WACAM), a civil society group challenged Newmont Ghana’s safety and health record claiming that 15 fatalities have occurred in the Ahafo mine during its operations in the past five years.

“There have 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.”

Mr. Daniel Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director of WACAM said: “We call on government to institute investigations into the social, economic, safety, cultural problems associated with the 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.”
The report also makes reference to the standards utilised in the construction of “dams” or facilities at the Ahafo mine.

Newmont Ghana operates for Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the largest gold companies in the world.

It operates the Ahafo Mine in the Brong-Ahafo Region and also has a development project, the Akyem Project in the Birim North District of the Eastern Region, which has an equity reserve of 7.7 million ounces of gold with US$1 billion investment and about 15 years mine life.

The company employs approximately 5,400 employees and contractors, with the majority working at its Ahafo Mine.







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