Chamber of Mines commits to responsible mining
The Ghana Chamber of Mines has assured of its commitment to engage in responsible mining in the country.
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It intends to do this by ensuring that its operations do not adversely impact the environment and the livelihoods of residents of host communities.
The President of the Chamber, Mr Kwame Addo-Kufuor, made this commitment when the chamber paid a courtesy call on the Minister of Environment, Science and Technology, Professor Frimpong Boateng.
Mr Addo-Kufuor said the chamber would ensure that all its members operated within the confines of the regulations and ensure that community livelihoods were not destroyed but well protected and enhanced.
“We will ensure proper monitoring of all the member companies to ensure that they engage only in responsible mining that will help bring development to communities in which they are operating,” he stated.
All member companies of the chamber are required by law to ensure that their operations do no adversely impact the environment and the livelihoods of residents.
Accordingly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is mandated through the Environmental Protection Agency Act (1994) 490 to institute measures to protect the environment.
The EPA, therefore, requires that mining companies operate within the confines of the law.
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In this regard, Mr Addo-Kufuor said the chamber and its members had over the years developed a cordial working relationship with the EPA to ensure that the environmental regulatory process was collaborative and amiable in order to sustain the gains made by both parties.
Also, he said, the implementation of the EPA’s biennial AKOBEN Environmental and Social Ratings programme assessed the environmental and social footprints of mining companies.
He said member companies had worked assiduously to meet and exceed the legal requirements for compliance.
Mine waste water treatment
Mr Addo-Kufuor also pointed out that member companies of the Chamber had been working with the EPA to meet the regulatory requirement for the treatment of mine effluent to prevent the contamination of the external environment.
He said the process of treating mine waste water should be a careful process that involved the selection of the best technology that met the specific needs of individual mines.
“The Chamber is of the view that there is no single solution to the treatment of mine effluent and companies must be supported to use the most effective approach to resolve their peculiar challenges as is the case globally,” he noted.
Despite initial challenges on the prescription of water treatment service providers, he said the chamber was pleased that progress had been made and significant strides would be achieved with goodwill and collaboration from both parties.
“The Chamber would like to assure the honourable Minister of the commitment of our member companies to adhere to the highest standards of environmental stewardship,” he said.