Akoon: Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has announced a significant reduction in fatalities within the mining industry, dropping from seven in 2024 to three in 2025. This decrease represents a reduction of over 57%. Dr. Ashigbey attributed this progress to investments in leadership, commitment, workforce training, emergency preparedness, and risk management.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr. Ashigbey shared these statistics during the Zone One inter-Mines first aid and safety competition held under the theme 'Safety first, safety always'. He emphasized the need to continue striving for improvement, stating, "We should acknowledge this progress, but we must never allow progress to become complacent. Three deaths are too many." In the same period, the industry recorded 34 serious accidents and 210 first aid accidents. Dr. Ashigbey stressed that these statistics represent real people and communities affected by incidents, underscoring the ongoing goal of zero fatalities and zero harm.
The CEO highlighted the importance of strengthening behavioral safety, hazard identification, risk management, emergency preparedness, and learning from incidents. He also called for increased attention to contractor safety, noting that risks do not differentiate between permanent employees and contractors. He remarked that the competition was crucial in this regard.
Dr. Catherine Kuupol Kuutor, Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine Manager, echoed these sentiments, emphasizing the importance of doing the right thing for safety's sake, not just because of monitoring. She pointed out that Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine's commitment to safety extended beyond the mine gates, recognizing the interconnectedness of their operations with the surrounding communities' well-being. Dr. Kuutor mentioned that through partnerships with institutions, community leaders, emergency services, security agencies, and local stakeholders, they were building a safer community.
She highlighted that prioritizing safety in communities protects families, preserves livelihoods, and enhances sustainable development. Dr. Kuutor also remarked that responsible mining is measured not only by the gold produced but also by the quality of life protected and improvements brought to host communities.
Prof. Bernard Kumi-Boateng, Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) Tarkwa, announced the upcoming inter-faculty first aid competition, stating that it would be mandatory for all students starting next academic year.
The competition concluded with the Heath Goldfields community securing first place with 98 points, followed by Ghana Manganese Company Limited community with 97.5 points. Asante Gold Corporation came in third with 96.5 points, Gold Fields Ghana Limited, Tarkwa Mine placed fourth with 91 points, and AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine secured the fifth position with 81.5 points.