Minerals Commission Begins Probe into Fatal Accident at Newmont Ahafo Site

Investigations have begun into the Saturday accident at Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo mine that claimed the lives of six construction workers from a contracted company.

The scene of the accident has been cordoned off and investigations are being spearheaded by the Minerals Commission’s Principal Inspector of mines for the Ashanti Region.

Addressing the Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, who was accompanied by the media and other officials, the acting General Manager of Newmont Mine at Ahafo, Okeyere Yaw Ntramah, said the mine was “cooperating with the regulatory authorities, specifically the inspectorate division of the Minerals Commission and the police, who are also assisting with the investigation.”

“We continue to offer support to the Consar Limited employees and we are in collaboration with Consar to ensure that this investigation is properly conducted and concluded to give us the basic cause of the event,” he added.

What we know so far

The collapse happened at around midday on Saturday, April 7, when 10 workers were working on a reclaim tunnel on the Ahafo Mill Expansion project.

Two of the workers were above pouring some concrete when the roof caved in, also leading to some concrete spilling on some of the eight workers below and trapping them.

Mr. Ntramah said an emergency recovery team was dispatched immediately after the accident and they were able to rescue two of the eight workers who were below when the collapse occurred.

It was only after 2:30 AM today [Sunday] that they recovered the last of the six deceased workers.

“It was a strenuous operation that required care and dedication with respect to the human body. It was fast setting concrete that poured on them so we had to take care to make sure that the rescue operation was safe and they were able to recover all of them,” he explained.

He added that the families of deceased have all been notified and the survivors are in good health

Operations at the Ahafo mine and its sister mine at Akyem have also been suspended.

Source: Citinewsroom