Bogosu Gold is complying with EPA's directive

Prestea, Oct 04, GNA - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has said Bogosu Gold Limited's (BGL) is complying with EPA's directive to suspend mining at the plant north pit for failing to satisfy certain conditions in the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). Mr Michael Sandow Ali, Tarkwa District EPA Programme Officer, told the GNA in an interview ''BGL is in compliance with the enforcement notice.''

He said a visit to Prestea showed that there was no mining going on in the pit where BGL was asked on September 13 to suspend mining and denied rumours that BGL had defied EPA's enforcement notice. Major Mohammed Bogobiri (RTD), Security Superintendent of BGL, said the suspension of BGL from mining in the pit has made it possible for illegal miners to besiege the pit at night.

He said hitherto, they were intruding in small numbers but after the order the number has increased to 40 and above. ''The suspension does not give the illegal miners the opportunity to mine at where they are not supposed to. It is illegal to mine in the pit and anybody caught will be dealt with according to the law.'' EPA suspended BGL for not satisfying certai n conditions at Prestea where it was engaged in surface mining. The conditions included; sensitisation of the people as to the possible impact of mining activities, construction of a by-pass road around the Ghana Commercial Bank to the Government Hospital in Prestea and relocation of the Prestea Police Station and its barracks.