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Cable thefts and illegal mining affect
Aglo Gold production
Kumasi, Jan 5, Ghanadot/GNA - The incessant activities of
illegal miners (Galamsey) and cable thieves on the mining
concession of Anglo Gold Ashanti Obuasi Mines is posing a
big threat both to the lives of mine workers and production
levels at the mines.
In 2007 there were 53 cable thefts in which the company lost
close to 757,000 dollars whilst it could not also make any
profit apart from not meeting its set target.
Dr. John Miller, Managing Director of AGA Obuasi mine, made
the disclosure when he was interacting with journalists on
Friday, a day after the latest cable stealing attempt that
set ablaze the whole underground electricity system leading
to the power outage and trapping of 30 miners.
He did not mention the amount involved in the set target but
said the company would have to part with between 500 to one
million dollars to restore power to the affected Northern
Sector that had been shut down.
Dr Miller said efforts were being made to resume work at the
mines, the closure of which is causing a daily production
loss of between 500 to one million dollars.
Mr. Yiadom-Boakye Amponsah, Sustainable Development Manager,
said the rampant theft and galamsey activities were a bane
to the survival of the mine whilst it also posed a potential
loss of investment to the nation.
He said the company had instituted a lot of measures to stem
the menace that could scare off potential mining investors
to the country but not much success has been achieved yet.
Apart from engaging perpetrators in a dialogue, the company
is now acting as a facilitator in the government's
intervention to identify an area of a rich ore body in
surface mining to re-settle the intruders and thereby keep
them off their concession.
Mr. Amponsah said these were some of the proactive and
humane attempts made by the company as a corporate body to
give the illegal miners access to the mining resource of the
area as community members.
"We could have also brought a heavy military presence to
crack down on their activities but we do not want to turn a
blind eye on human rights issues, meanwhile our workers also
need protection.''
Mr. Ahmed Bashiru, Planning Development Officer, appealed to
the government to review laws regarding illegal mining and
stealing to come out with stiffer punishment since under the
current laws penalties for such offences were not deterrent
enough.
Meanwhile, the 30 miners who were trapped in last Thursday
disaster have all escaped unscathed and have reunited with
their families.
GNA
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