Wacam, a leading Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) in the fight against irresponsible mining, has debunked media reports that foodstuffs and fish from Kenyase area in the Brong Ahafo Region are contaminated.
According to Mrs. Hannah Owusu-Koranteng, who is the Associate Executive Director of Wacam, the reports are being made to discredit the good works of Wacam in tackling environmental protection and must be treated with the contempt it deserves.
She said what triggered the false media report was that a member of Wacam called Adusah Yakubu granted interview to some journalists, expressing his concern about the pollution of water bodies in the Kenyase area as a result of the operations of mining giant Newmont that operates the Newmont Ahafo Mine.
She said Adusah Yakubu spoke in his capacity as an indigene of Kenyase and had made references to findings of Wacam’s recent research report and its effect on the people of the area as a result of mining activities.
“Adusah Yakubu, in expressing his opinion, called on Ghanaians to show concern about the effects of mining on water pollution and the possible contamination of fishes and foodstuffs in their area because it can affect the health of people in the Kenyase area and other parts of the country,” Mrs. Owusu Koranteng said in a statement.
“Unfortunately, some slant has been put on the statement of Mr. Adusah Yakubu to the effect that Wacam has warned people from buying foodstuffs from Kenyase area because they are contaminated. We respect the opinion and worry expressed by Mr. Adusah Yakubu and other members of the community because of the health implication of the effects of mining operations of Newmont Ahafo Mine on the residents.”
She said, “Mr. Adusah exercised his right as an affected community person to express his opinion, but did not speak on behalf of Wacam. “We wish to explain that Wacam’s external communication is such that the Executive Director, the Associate Executive Director and the Director of Communications of Wacam, are the spokespersons of Wacam, who speak on behalf of the organisation.”
“Wacam commissioned a research on the exposure to toxicants in environmental contamination within the Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (Ahafo Mine) using the Human Health Risk Assessment approach. The research involved the collection of a total of 70 water samples and 30 sediment samples collected from surface water bodies in the study area which had been affected by the operations of Newmont Ahafo Mine. In addition, 19 rain water samples were collected from the area,” she explained.
The release said that “the analytical concentrations of arsenic, mercury, cadmium, manganese, and lead were used as input parameters to calculate the cancer and non-cancer health risks via exposure to these metals in surface water bodies and sediments.”
According to her, “The study indicated that on average, 4 and 5 additional cases of cancer are likely to be recorded via the oral exposure pathway in every 100 resident adults living in and around River Awonsu,” adding “the results from the study indicated that levels of arsenic in most cases exceeded the WHO permissible guideline values and that the pollution of some of the water bodies in the area can be attributed to uncontrolled cyanide spillages and acid mine drainage.”
She said the research revealed that “the pollution of water bodies in the area has serious impact on the lives of women, because women would have to walk long distances in search of drinking water.”
“This has serious impact on the lives of people in the area where Newmont operates.”
She said the research has been widely distributed to regulatory agencies and Ministries such as Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency, Ministry of Environment Science and Technology, Ghana Chamber of Mines and other state agencies.
He said officials of Newmont Ahafo Mine participated in the validation of the research.
By William Yaw Owusu