Cape Coast, Feb. 23, GNA - The Centre for Environmental Impact Analy= sis (CEIA), a non- governmental organization, has commended the Ministry of Environment, Science and Technology for sanctioning Newmont Ghana Gold Limited after it had spilt cyanide solution into River Asundua in the Brong Ahafo Region in October last year. A statement signed by its Executive Director, Mr. Samuel Obiri, sai= d this action would serve as a
clear signal to mining companies that the nation holds the environment an= d sustainable livelihood
of its citizens in high esteem and would not tolerate irresponsible minin= g activities. It said access to clean drinking water still remains a challenge to government and its developing
partners as 40% of children in the rural areas die each year from water-borne diseases and
inadequate sanitation and hygiene. "Access to safe drinking water by every citizen is critical not on= ly to reducing poverty but also
it is a fundamental human right and also as a means of achieving the millennium development
targets for health," the statement said. It abhorred the fact that Newmont did not only pollute River Asundu= a but also other water
bodies within its concession and adopted a propagandist approach in an attempt to hide the
incident from the Environmental Protection Agency and other regulatory bodies as well as residents
of the surrounding villages. The statement described the action of Newmont as irresponsible as i= t rendered water bodies in
the Ahafo Ano area unsafe for consumption. "It is against this background that the CEIA is content with the action taken by the Ministry to
sanction Newmont for violating all the relevant laws regarding storage an= d disposal of mine waste
including cyanide solution." The statement appealed to the Ministry to further impose severe penal= ty on Newmont and order
it to clean-up the affected area in view of the effect of high toxic cont= ent of mine process solution
such as arsenic, lead, cadmium and copper which could persist in the environment for a long time.
