Story by: Ishmael Barfi
A five member Ministerial Committee has inaugurated by the Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, to review the health and safety conditions in the mining sector.
In the enforcement of the President’s assurance of reforms in the mining industry after the Appiate explosion, the five member Committee has become necessary to help in the drive.
According to the Sector Minister, “I have, therefore, pursuant to section 101 of the Minerals and Mining Act 206, Act 703 taken this decision to establish this Ministerial Committee of Inquiry to review the entire Health and Safety regime of the mining industry in our country.”
The ceremony took place at the conference room of the Ministry in Accra.
Lands &Natural Resources Minister Inaugurates Five Member Ministerial Committee to review Health & Safety Condition in the Mining Sector
The five-member committee of inquiry has been tasked to review the Health and Safety standards in the mining sector in the country.
The component of the committee are as follows, the Sector Minister, the Vice-Chancellor of the George Grant University of Mines and Technology, and Professor Richard Amankwah.
Explaining the the tasks which the committee is to undertake is that requirement of expertise.
Accordingly, the Ministry has decided that the committee be chaired by Vice-Chancellor of the foremost University specialised in mining and mining technology-The George Grant University of Mines and Technology, Professor Richard Amankwah.”
Lands &Natural Resources Minister Inaugurates Five Member Ministerial Committee to review Health & Safety Condition in the Mining Sector
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the committee members today, February 7, 2022, the Minister lamented about the incidents happening at mining sites, thus claiming lives and leaving others injured.
Therefore entreated that the issues be treated with keen interest, with a holistic approach taken to deal with it.
“The Appiate incident is not an isolated incident in the country.
Revealing that, 2020, two different incidents happened in Ayanfori in the Upper Denkyira West in the Central Region killing a total of 13 people.
Lands &Natural Resources Minister Inaugurates Five Member Ministerial Committee to review Health & Safety Condition in the Mining Sector
Also in May 2021, 3 people were killed and several others injured in the same district when a mining pit caved in.
Interestingly, this happened about a week after a pit also caved in at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mines, killing 1 person.
“We can’t continue to treat these as isolated incidents therefore we have to take a holistic approach to deal with the Health and Safety issues in the mining industry.”he said.
Source: www.thenewindependentonline.com
