26-06-17 Cassius Mining Ltd calls for sound environmental practices

Existing large scale mining companies have been challenged to prioritize the health and safety needs of staff and host communities. 

Speaking to Radio Ghana, the Project Manager of Cassius Mining Limited, Andrew Head observed that most mining companies make fortunes for themselves without taking into cognizance the economic and environmental wellbeing of communities in which they operate.  

 According to him, such companies often overlook the deprived nature of their host communities and sometimes fail in their obligation to strictly adhere to required mining safety regulations. 

Project Manager, Andrew Head

The practice, he lamented, was at variance with best practices and called for attitudinal change. 

Mr Head said this on the sidelines of the company’s maiden clean-up exercise held at Gbane in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.

Correspondent Isaac Asare reports that Cassius Mining Limited is a fully owned Ghanaian mining firm with Australia holding a percentage of shares for the management of its operations. 

With a strategic objective to becoming one of the leading mining companies in the sub-region, Cassius mining had fine-tuned its operations to provoke healthy working environment in areas where it operates. 

The company had over the period embarked on community investment programmes in their host communities with the view to empower and reach out to communities that are disadvantaged in terms of development. 

The clean-up exercise was therefore carried out to demonstrate the company’s resolve to work in partnership with communities and instil in members good sanitary practices to ensure a safe and clean environment.

 Mr Andrew Head is the Project Manager of Cassius Mining Limited. 

He told Radio Ghana that health and safety of the people is central to the company’s operational values because productivity is assured when people work under safe environment. 

 Mr Head said his outfit is mindful of the environment and would urged other mining companies to give special attention to the economic and environmental wellbeing of their host communities.

The maiden clean-up exercise which received massive turn-out saw staff of Cassius mining and residents of Gbane and its surrounding communities partaking in the clearing of filth among other cleaning activities.

Participants including staff of Zoomlion among officials of the Talensi District Assembly defied the early morning rains to assist in the communal exercise.

Present at the event was the Talensi District Coordinating Director, Alhaji Mohammed Issahaku. 

In an interview, Mr Issahaku described the maiden exercise as laudable and expressed the hope that the existence of Cassius Mining will reinforce job creation for majority of the teeming unemployed youth in the catchment area.

Gbane community was chosen for the exercise because of its sanitation condition. The area is engulfed with filth, thus posing a health risk to the over 20,000 people living in the community.   

Currently, the community lacks basic amenities despite the abundance of gold in the area.

 Speaking to Radio Ghana the Assembly member for Kpatia, Gbega and Kpali Electoral Area, Alex Gberanzong, thanked management of Cassius mining for its sense of responsiveness and called for more support in the area of roads, health, water and toilet facilities among other amenities.

With over 40 employees made up of skilled personnel and geologists, Cassius Mining Ltd had been operating in the Talensi District for the past three years. 

The license large scale mining company is currently undertaking drilling services in exploration for gold ore under required International Safety Standards.

 Since its inception, the company have had series of engagement with the local communities on issues bordering on development. 

The move is to enable the company identify the infrastructural needs of the people to be able to galvanize support and provide adequate resources to undertake its Corporate Social Responsibilities.

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Orthodox Muslims in Bolgatanga defy rains to observe Eid-Ul-Fitr

 

From Bolgatanga in the Upper East Region, Correspondent Isaac Asare reports that the celebration of this year’s Eid-Ul-Fitr was distracted by heavy rains that lasted for hours. 

Due to the intensity of the downpour, orthodox Muslims were compelled to converge on the central mosque to offer prayers instead of the usual NAFAC grounds which was earlier chosen for the celebration. 

The central mosque which is still under construction was full to capacity and could not accommodate the high numbers of worshippers. 

To this background, many had no choice but to seek refuge in nearby shops and structures to join in the prayers. 

Nevertheless, the occasion was peacefully marked amidst heavy security presence. 

Present at the event was the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari. Mr Bukari admonished Muslims to be imbued with the virtues of the Holy Prophet Mohammed and continually uphold the tenets of love for their neighbours and God. 

He further urged Muslims to live above reproach so as to erase the erroneous misconception that Muslims are violent and were hiding under the carpet to perpetuate crime all in the name of Jihad. 

The Regional Minister also appealed to all Muslim sects to appreciate the health benefits that comes along with the successful end of the fasting season. 

He urged them to sustain the faith throughout the year and voluntarily sacrifice their wealth to benefit the poor and the destitute in society. 

The Regional Chief Imam, Alhaji Yusif Adams led the congregation to offer prayers to Allah for the renewed strength given during the Ramadan fast. 

He assured members that those that fasted during the 30 day period would have their sins forgiven as the period signifies physical and spiritual cleansing for all Muslims  irrespective of ones sect or religious faith. 

Prayers were said for the sustenance of peace and unity in the country.   

Dignitaries including the Regional Police Commander, DCOP Redeemer Vincent Dedjo were there to grace the occasion. DCOP Vincent Dedjo advised Muslims particularly the youth to celebrate the day in moderation. 

 

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Jobless Mine Workers Appeals To Land Ministry To Consider Their Plight

Over 500 workers of Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited who lost their job following the closure of the mine last month are calling on government through the Land Ministry to consider their plight by granting them the permission to resume operations.

On May 4, 2017, the mining firm which is a subsidiary of China Gold Resources Group, Ghana branch was asked to suspend operations on the directive of the Ministry of Land and Natural Resources in order to pave the way for the ministry to conduct full scale investigation into alleged deaths of some seven illegal miners.

Following the directive, the Upper East Regional Minister, Rockson Bukari and members of the Regional Security Council, REGSEC visited the mining site to assist in the said investigation.

Though the team completed its preliminary investigations on May 10, 2017, the fate of the company and the jobless mine workers remain uncertain.

Moreover, the company has since not been furnished with information on the findings and recommendations of the investigation.

At a press conference held at the mine premises at Gbane in the Talensi District, the spokesperson of the workers, Rockson Edusei, said efforts at reaching the sector minister on the matter had yielded no positive result as management is equally tight lipped as to when the operations will commenced.

He said due to the closure of the mine, workers are going through difficult times as majority are not able to access basic health care, make end meets and fend for their families and dependants.

Mr. Edusei noted that the plight of the workers is being worsened day-by-day because payment of school fees for their wards had become a headache as most of his colleagues are indebted to their landlords and even food vendors.

He however, appealed to the sector minister to expedite action by rescinding its earlier decision since the lives of the workers largely depend on the company.

While urging the sector minister to heed to their call, Mr. Edusei disclosed that apart from their personal challenges as workers, the mine had been invaded by illegal miners whose current activities poses a threat to their very survival.

According to him, the illicit miners are currently engaged in unhealthy mining activities if not held in check can cause a possible cave in any time soon.

He accused them of having invaded their underground workings, stolen ores, and blasted support pillars, among other illegalities. He warned that the blast of the support pillars for instance is weakening the mine.

He said the use of minors by these illegal miners also poses danger to their operations because they are inexperienced and could blast themselves up.

To this effect, Mr. Edusei called on the national security to as a matter of urgency move in to fill the abandoned pits used by these illegal miners to enable the mine access its underground workings.

He further seized the platform to urge the Minerals Commission to grant the mine a large scale license to expand her operations.

He said though it had been issued the required licence by the commission, portions of the concessions were illegally granted to an Australian Mining Company, Cassius Mining Ltd.

He said the cut out portions which falls within their operational area is causing an overlap since they have already done diamond drilling work in the said area.

He requested the sector minister to consider revising the decision of the commission so that Shaanxi mining Ltd can regain the entire area it applied for and again take action by placing sanction or revoking the current license of Cassius mining for illegally going through the license acquisition process.

GBC


Story by Isaac Asare