Two NGOs namely the Centre for Environmental Impact Assessment (CEIA) and Wacam have reiterated their call on mining sector regulatory agencies to step up their activities to bring sanity to the industry.
A statement signed by Dr. Samuel Obiri and Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, Executive Director and Associate Executive Director of CEIA and Wacam respectively in the wake of the Apiate explosion said “state agencies should effectively regulate the mining companies to avoid Regulatory Capture and Agency problems to ensure strict adherence to all regulations governing safe and responsible mining practices.”
“Thursday, January 20, 2022 which appeared to be a normal day for the people of Apiate turned out to be a sad day for the people and Ghana. Apiate is a small farming village and mining community in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality. A vehicle conveying explosives to Chirano Mining Company exploded after colliding with a motorcycle. The explosives detonated, setting the whole town ablaze, killing and maiming scores of residents as well as destroying properties of the residents.”
“Wacam and CEIA express our deepest condolence to the chief and people of Apiate community who have lost their loved ones. We wish those who were injured a speedy recovery. We also commend Government for immediately activating the National Emergency Response Mechanism to address the situation. We salute the gallant men and women from Ghana Police Service, Fire Service, Ghana Armed Forces, NADMO, National Ambulance Service, Staff of Ghana Health Service in the affected area as well as the entire citizens who assisted in bringing relief to the affected people.”
“Wacam and CEIA further wish to commend the churches in the area, particularly, the Catholic Parish in Bogoso for releasing their church hall to be used in accommodating the displaced residents from the community, Wacam and CEIA recognising that it is too early to officially establish the root cause of this tragic incident, call on government and relevant agencies to conduct full-scale investigation into the incident.”
The statement said that “the people of Apiate and the nation could have been spared the agony of the incident that had shocked the whole nation and its related damage if due precaution had been exercised and the safety provisions in the Minerals and Mining (Explosives) Regulations, 2012 (LI 2177) had been adhered to in the transport of the explosives. Our call for responsible mining practices in the country is to prevent incidences of such nature and cyanide spillages which tend to expose host mining communities to avoidable dangers,” and urged the regulators to be firm in their dealings with the mining companies.