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Tag: Mines

  • Ghana Chamber of Mines boss, Dr Koney, bows out after decades of service

    Ghana Chamber of Mines boss, Dr Koney, bows out after decades of service

    The Ghana Chamber of Mines has officially announced that Dr. Sulemanu Koney will retire from his position as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) in March 2025.

    Though he reached the statutory retirement age in April 2024, Dr. Koney continued in office for an additional year at the request of the Chamber’s Council, extending his remarkable leadership that spanned over a decade as CEO.

    Dr. Koney’s association with the Chamber began in 2000 when he was appointed as Director of Analysis, Research, and Finance. Over the years, his dedication and expertise propelled him to the helm in 2014.

    His leadership tenure has been marked by numerous advancements in the mining sector, focusing on local participation, sustainability, responsible mining, and supportive fiscal frameworks.

    His efforts helped deepen partnerships between mining firms and the state, ensuring the industry’s contribution to national development remained robust and impactful.

    Commending his achievements, the President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr. Michael Edem Akafia, stated:
    “Dr. Koney’s remarkable service and commitment to the Chamber and the mining industry have been truly inspiring. His leadership has left an indelible mark on the industry, and we are immensely grateful for his contributions.”

    He went on to extend the Chamber’s heartfelt appreciation and best wishes for Dr. Koney’s future.

    In the wake of his retirement, Mr. Ahmed Dasana Nantogmah, the Chamber’s Director of External Relations and Communications, has been appointed as Acting CEO. With more than 26 years in the mining industry, Mr. Nantogmah brings a depth of experience in sustainability, communication, stakeholder relations, and environmental management.

    Expressing confidence in the interim leadership, Mr. Akafia added, “Ahmed’s wealth of experience and profound industry knowledge will be invaluable as we continue to enhance the mining industry’s role as a vital pillar of Ghana’s economy.”

    The Chamber has reiterated its dedication to responsible mining, growth of the industry, and its role in Ghana’s socio-economic development, even as it undergoes this leadership transition.

  • Mines discovered at Ukrainian nuclear power station owned by Russia

    Mines discovered at Ukrainian nuclear power station owned by Russia

    Inspectors from the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog have discovered explosives at the occupied Zaporizhzhia site.

    Volodymyr Zelensky warned earlier this month that Russian forces had there placed items “resembling explosives” on the roofs of houses to “simulate an attack,” citing Ukrainian intelligence.

    Shortly after the conflict began, the largest nuclear plant in Europe was captured by the enemy. Since then, Kiev and Moscow have accused one another of plotting a false flag operation at the plant.

    Rafael Grossy, chief of the International Atomic Energy Agency, confirmed experts ‘saw some mines located in a buffer zone between the site’s internal and external perimeter barriers’.

    In a statement on Monday, he added: ‘The IAEA has been aware of the placement of mines outside the site perimeter and also at particular places inside.

    ‘Our team has raised this specific finding with the plant and they have been told it is a military decision, and in an area controlled by military.

    ‘Having such explosives on the site is inconsistent with the IAEA safety standards and nuclear security guidance and creates additional psychological pressure on plant staff…’

    ‘The team will continue its interactions with the plant.’

    His statement did not detail how many mines were found or the precise positions, but stressed they were located at the periphery of the site.

    IAEA experts said these were anti-personnel mines, which are normally placed under, on or near the ground.

    They are ‘victim-activated’ and designed to detonate when someone steps on, handles or comes near them. 

    But the agency’s initial assessment was that any detonation ‘should not affect the site’s nuclear safety and security systems’.

    Grossi has visited the plant three times since it was taken over but has been unable to clinch an agreement with Russian and Ukrainian authorities to set up a safety regime to prevent accidents.

  • Trapped Mexican miners at risk as water levels rise

    Attempts to rescue 10 men from a flooded mine in Mexico have been delayed after the water levels in three shafts rose suddenly on Sunday.

    The miners became trapped on 3 August when a wall in a tunnel collapsed and water from an adjacent chamber gushed into the three shafts.

    Officials say the water has to drop to a depth of 1.5m (5ft) to allow rescuers to enter the shafts safely.

    But on Sunday, it suddenly rose again to more than 20m.

    The governor of Coahuila state, where the coal mine is located, said the water was probably flowing into the shafts from a nearby disused mine. Governor Miguel Riquelme said engineers were trying to find the source of the leak so they can block it.

    More than 200 million liters have been pumped from the shafts so far, but the rescue work has been hampered by a number of setbacks.

    Last week, a special underwater drone carrying a camera was lowered into one of the shafts.

    Relatives of the miners had hoped the drone would provide them with long-awaited news on their loved ones, from whom there has been no sign of life since the accident 12 days ago.

    But the drone failed to reach the depth at which the miners are believed to have become trapped.

    “There are a great number of solid obstacles and turbulence in the water, which make visibility very limited,” a statement said.

    “These are not conditions in which we can send in search and rescue teams.”

    Relatives of the 10 trapped miners again expressed frustration and anger at the slow pace of the rescue effort and at what they said was a lack of communication.

    “We want them (authorities) to tell us what is happening: if they have identified the places where water is coming through and why,” a member of miner Sergio Cruz’s family told Reuters news agency.

    Priests in the area have been saying prayers for the miners’ rescue.

  • Miner remanded for robbery

    The Enchi District Magistrate court presided over by Mr Eric Baah Boateng, has remanded an illegal miner into police custody for allegedly robbing a precious metal dealer.

    Isaac Kwasi, 38, has been charged with conspiracy to commit crime to wit robbery, but his plea was not taken by the court.

    He is expected to make his next appearance on Friday January 15, 2021.

    Police Detective Inspector Joseph Kwadwo Agyare told the court that, Enoch Gyan is the complainant and a resident of Omanpe, while Isaac lives at Nkwanta No 2 all in the Aowin Municipality of the Western North Region.

    He said on November 9, 2020, at about 1330 hours, the complainant visited a colleague at Mile 4 and collected an amount of GH?16,950.00.

    Detective Inspector Agyare said while the complainant was on his motorbike to Omanpe, he saw the accused and his accomplice now at large few meters from Kramokrom community on Mile 4-Elubo road holding pump action guns and upon seeing him they started firing towards his direction.

    Prosecution said Isaac and his accomplice approached the complainant, instructed him to stop where he obliged.

    He said the accused then snatched the bag containing the cash amount of GH?16, 950.00 and sped off into a nearby bush, he narrated to the court.

    According to Detective Inspector Agyare, the complainant returned to Mile 4, to narrated his ordeal to his friends who proceeded to the crime scene and scouted around but there were no traces of the robbers.

    He said the complainant reported the case at the Enchi Police station and later had a tip-off that Isaac and his accomplice were hiding at Alatakrom.

    The Prosecution said based on the information the police went to Alatakrom to apprehend them but they managed to escape.

    He said on November 14 last year, the complainant had another tip-off that the accused and his accomplice had moved to a community called Nyame Boame.

    Detective Inspector Agyare said the complainant with the assistance of his colleagues pursued Isaac, arrested and handed him over to the police.

    He said the complainant identified the accused at the police station as the attacker who had robbed him.

    Source: GNA