AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine on the 5th of December 2022, had the honour of hosting the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI), Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, the Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency, Dr. Henry K. Kokofu and other senior officers of the Agency during their three-day working visit to mining companies in Ghana.
The Honorable. Dr. Kwaku Afriyie and his entourage were welcomed by the Managing Director of Obuasi Mine, Mr. Eric Asubonteng, the Vice President of Environment, Mr. Nixon Asante, and other Senior members of Obuasi Mine.
The purpose of the working visit was to provide the Minister and his entourage with firsthand knowledge of the environmental difficulties confronting the Obuasi Mine and to familiarize them with the Mine’s ongoing environmental initiatives.
The Managing Director of the Obuasi Mine, Eric Asubonteng, gave an overview of the Mine, while the Senior Manage, Environment, George Owusu-Ansah gave a presentation on closure work and Tailings & Water Infrastructures at the Obuasi Mine after safety induction. Following the presentation, the Obuasi Mine Management offered the Minister and his entourage a tour of the process plant, stopping to show them the VEOLIA water treatment plant, the arsenic trioxide treatment project, the processing facility, and the TSF (STSF, BIOX & Future Dev’t). Also visited were the sustainability projects at the ETS, and drive through the Sustainable Development Units (AGAMal, AGAHF and the KNUST Obuasi Campus)
In his remarks, the Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti, Eric Asubonteng, commended the Honourable Minister. Dr. Kwaku Afriyie and the Agency for their continued support and collaboration. He reaffirmed AngloGold Ashanti’s commitment to implementing measures to mitigate all environmental impacts resulting from its operations. He added that all advise and comments from the Minister and the Agency will be taking into consideration.
The Honorable Minister, Dr. Kwaku Afriyie, praised AngloGold Ashanti’s Obuasi Mine for its sound environmental practices.
“By statute we are set up in an advisory role, and we are not here to obstruct your work; we want you to advance because we would not exist without you. However, throughout the process we will ensure that all the protocols we agree on are followed; so far, I am very happy with the work done” he stated.
On his part the Executive Director of EPA, Honorable Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, expressed the Agency’s satisfaction with the work completed by the Obuasi Mine. He assured the Obuasi Management of the Agency’s continued support and engagement.
The Minister was accompanied by the Executive Director of EPA, Dr. Henry Kwabena Kokofu, Deputy Executive Director-Operations- EPA, Mr. Ransford Sekyi, Deputy Director-Mining, Haron Harrison-Affull, Ashanti Regional Manager, EPA, Samuel Oteng, PA to Minister, Benjamin Oppong, Dr. Naa Dedei Tagoe and Secretary to the Minister, Joyce Esi Bedzra.