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Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, John Peter Amewu, has stated that henceforth all Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Management (EPCM) projects in mines across Ghana must be undertaken by Ghanaian contractors.

The minister’s directive was contained in the report on the cause of the fatal accident at the Ahafo Mine of the Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) on April 7, 2018.

Six persons died while four others sustained injuries.

The findings, as contained in the report by the Investigation Team constituted by the Lands Minister, bordered on design, operational and managerial failures that led to the fatalities and casualties.”

It would be recalled that in compliance with Regulation 26 of Minerals and Mining (Health Safety and Technical Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2182), management of NGGL Ahafo Mine, reported the accident.

Consar, a contractor working under the supervision of DRA Ghana Limited, an Engineering, Procurement, Construction and Management (EPCM) agent of NGGL, was constructing a Reclaim Tunnel as part of the Ahafo Mill Expansion AME Project.

The employees reportedly poured a mixture of concrete at the Reclaim Tunnel when the two-level formwork structure at the west end of the Reclaim Tunnel failed, leading to the accident.

Pursuant to Regulation 16 (1) © of L.I. 2182, the sector minister constituted an investigation team, under the auspices of the Inspectorate Directorate of the Minerals Commission, to conduct an enquiry into the causes of the accident and also find out whether there were standard operating procedures, which were complied with in consonance with tenets of the Minerals and Mining (Health and Safety and Technical) Regulations, 2012 (L.I. 2182).

Recommendations

It recommended that NGGL Ahafo Mine should suspend DRA Ghana Limited from all activities at NGGL for failure to ensure the absolute health, safety and security of employees.

The report also recommended fines of $10,000 against DRA Ghana and NGGL.

DRA Ghana Limited is to pay additional $2 million and NGGL $500,000, while Consar is expected to pay a fine of $200,000.

“Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, which failed to ensure the safety of contract employees working at the Ahafo Mine Site, shall pay the fatally wounded and injured employees the appropriate workmen compensation. In addition, the fatally wounded employees should be compensated for their traumatic death, loss of their life and jettisoning of their livelihood,” a statement signed by Mr Amewu added.