Samuel Abdulai Jinapor
THE MINISTER for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abdulai Jinapor, has received a report on the findings of a review of the health and safety regime on the mining industry.
The five-member committee, chaired by Prof. Richard Amankwah of the George Grant University of Mines and Technology, presented the report yesterday.
Other members of the committee are Prof. Grace Ofori-Sarpong, Effie Oppong-Fosu, Benjamin Aryee, and Kwesi Enyan.
Receiving the report, Mr. Jinapor pledged the government’s commitment to implement the recommendations as provided for by the experts after a thorough study.
“Of course, we will study the report and make our own conclusions and views about the content of the report,” he added, and continued that he had no doubt that “if not all, most of the findings and recommendations which have been made by this committee will be taken on board and implemented.”
According to him, the findings of the report provided will be an “invaluable asset” which will guide matters to do with the health and safety regime of the mining sector in Ghana, noting that the implementation of the recommendations will ensure that the Apiate incident does not reoccur.
“What we want to ensure is that the mining sector is fit for purpose, and serves the people, contributes to the national economy and is safe so that we do not have a recurrence of what happened at Apiate,” he noted.
The minister reiterated government’s commitment to be transparent in the management of lands and natural resources of the country, while assuring that the ministry will continue to serve the nation in the “best standards of integrity and fidelity.”
He expressed his gratitude to the committee for the extensive work done, saying, “We couldn’t have assembled a better team than we did.”
Chairman of the Committee, Prof. Amankwah, said 20 letters were sent to various entities and professional bodies to source for information.
According to him, they also engaged certain captains in the industry who gave presentations to the committee on explosives, fire suppression, and systems to track the movement of explosives in the country.
BY Ernest Kofi Adu