AngloGold Ashanti identifies 10,000 illegal miners

AngloGold Ashanti (AGA)-Ghana has identified more than 10,000 illegal miners operated in its Obuasi Mine Concession, including Ghanaians and Chinese.

More than 600 holes were also identified, and the majority of them have been sealed along the Obuasi Mine’s main belt.

 

Mr. Kwesi Enyan, Managing Director, AGA Obuasi Mine, observed that illegal mining activities could not have gone on to such an extent without help from some AGA workers, some chiefs and some politicians.

He observed that petrol generators and petrol stoves have been found underground -- fire risk explosives are used underground. These activities impacted heavily on farmlands and water-bodies as well as in the communities and livelihoods.

“Continued presence of the Military contingent on the concession with support of the Regional Taskforce has successfully removed illegal Chinese miners outside the main hard rock belt -- Airport area, Fiankoma, Anyankyirem, Amamom, Kokotenten, Anhwona and others along the Dunkwa road.

“Identification of environmental damage is meant to make good all the degraded lands around the airport and other areas on the concession such as Amamom, Adumanu and Mmamerewa as a result of illegal mining activities,” he said.

“With the announcement of the second phase of the initiative, we are urgently pleading with the Municipal Assembly, Assembly members, Municipal and Divisional Police Commanders and the Courts to assist to completely achieve this bold and laudable initiative from the President.

“Exploring, mining and processing of gold on our concession is illegal for any individual or group,” Mr. Enyan said.

This comes at a time when Government says it has repatriated about 3,877 foreigners engaged in illegal mining since June, 2013.

Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Alhaji Inusah Fuseini, speaking at a press conference in Accra explained: “Government will keep the heat on illegal mining, which has become a source of environmental menace in the second-largest gold producer in Africa.”

In May, President John Dramani Mahama inaugurated the Inter- Ministerial Task Force, charged with fighting illegal small-scale mining in the country.

So far, the task force has arrested 1,568 foreigners and 51 Ghanaians -- seizing 40 vehicles, 85 earth-moving machines and 49 weapons.

Work was underway to appoint 20 operators to reclaim lands devastated by the illegal mining operations across the country, Minister Fuseini said.