Artisanal and Small Scale Mining Africa-Network
(ASMAN) says it is expecting a major policy to ensure the institutionisation of
the Akoben model for the small-scale mining industry in order to halt the
current trend wherein small-scale miners have graduated from the illegal mercury-abuse
to the usage of unauthorised cyanide.
“We at ASMAN wish to remind the Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) that following our submission, made at the conference
on the subject-matter in relation to small-scale mining in Ghana, we are still
expectant of a major policy move to ensure institutionising of the Akoben model
for the small-scale mining industry in order to halt the current trend where
small-scale miners have illegally graduated from the mercury-abuse to the usage
of unauthorised cyanide.
The EPA has developed the Akoben programme to carry out its mandate in conformity with the principles of the National Environment Policy. Akoben is an environmental performance rating and disclosure initiative of the EPA.
Under the initiative, the environmental performance of mining operations with the exclusion of small-scale mining operators are monitored and assessed in line with set standards as well as Environmental Impact Assessments guidelines.
A statement signed by Nii Adjetey-Kofi Mensah, Executive Director said: “We understand AKOBEN is to serve as a monitoring and verification programme to ensure that companies follow environmental regulations on a continual basis”.
It explained that at a recent two-day international roundtable on Reducing Environmental Health Impacts of Harmful Pollutants in the Africa Region organised by the World Bank in collaboration with the EPA, in Accra, there were deliberations on the dangerous impact of pollutants in general -- such as e-waste and mercury use in the small-scale mining sector.
Additionally, collaborative efforts within and outside the countries of concern, as well as efforts being made for reduction and elimination of contaminations, were discussed.
The EPA has developed the Akoben programme to carry out its mandate in conformity with the principles of the National Environment Policy. Akoben is an environmental performance rating and disclosure initiative of the EPA.
Under the initiative, the environmental performance of mining operations with the exclusion of small-scale mining operators are monitored and assessed in line with set standards as well as Environmental Impact Assessments guidelines.
A statement signed by Nii Adjetey-Kofi Mensah, Executive Director said: “We understand AKOBEN is to serve as a monitoring and verification programme to ensure that companies follow environmental regulations on a continual basis”.
It explained that at a recent two-day international roundtable on Reducing Environmental Health Impacts of Harmful Pollutants in the Africa Region organised by the World Bank in collaboration with the EPA, in Accra, there were deliberations on the dangerous impact of pollutants in general -- such as e-waste and mercury use in the small-scale mining sector.
Additionally, collaborative efforts within and outside the countries of concern, as well as efforts being made for reduction and elimination of contaminations, were discussed.
“ASMAN notes with grave concern the lack of
education and development of national plans on Artisanal and Small Scale Gold
Mining (ASGM), including a public health strategy that addresses
awareness-raising on the Minamata Convention on Mercury,” the statement said.
It said as a step to substantially reduce the use of mercury in ASGM, ASMAN saw the introduction of the ThermEx Retort by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, in collaboration with the Minerals Commission of Ghana, as a step in the right direction; but the accompanying challenge posed by use of the retort has not been evaluated for subsequent enforcement.
The statement said it is open knowledge that mercury exposure in ASGM communities is associated with adverse health effects, including kidney dysfunction, autoimmune and neurological symptoms.
“ASMAN therefore wishes to propose that whilst the World Bank continues to use the roundtable in solving remediation of the contaminations, the EPA should adopt an all-inclusive approach (with small-scale miners) to produce a reference document for remediation and enhance the fallen image of the ASM Sector in Ghana.
“ASMAN takes this opportunity to remind the Chief Programme Officer, Mining Department of EPA, Mr. Ransford Sekyi, of the Agencies assurance on instituting a customised version of the Akoben programme for the small-scale mining sector in Ghana.”
It said as a step to substantially reduce the use of mercury in ASGM, ASMAN saw the introduction of the ThermEx Retort by the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation, in collaboration with the Minerals Commission of Ghana, as a step in the right direction; but the accompanying challenge posed by use of the retort has not been evaluated for subsequent enforcement.
The statement said it is open knowledge that mercury exposure in ASGM communities is associated with adverse health effects, including kidney dysfunction, autoimmune and neurological symptoms.
“ASMAN therefore wishes to propose that whilst the World Bank continues to use the roundtable in solving remediation of the contaminations, the EPA should adopt an all-inclusive approach (with small-scale miners) to produce a reference document for remediation and enhance the fallen image of the ASM Sector in Ghana.
“ASMAN takes this opportunity to remind the Chief Programme Officer, Mining Department of EPA, Mr. Ransford Sekyi, of the Agencies assurance on instituting a customised version of the Akoben programme for the small-scale mining sector in Ghana.”
No comments:
Post a Comment