Large-scale mining company, Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited has been forced to partially suspends operations at the Gbane mining site in the Talensi District due to flooding it says has been caused by illegal mining activities along the Oun River.
According to the company, “On the night of August 19, 2024, heavy rains caused water from the river to flood our underground mining area through illegal mining pits, some of which were illicitly connected to our workings”.
With high levels of flood waters estimated to be 80,000 cubic meters, the company says its equipment has been submerged and close to 400 workers temporarily displaced.
It adds that, “currently, large volumes of water continue to flow through these illegal mining pits, further exacerbating the situation”.
The company expressed concern about the huge losses it has incurred, stating that equipment worth millions of dollars have been damaged and significant production time lost.
“An assessment of the volume of floodwater currently in our underground mining area and our pumping capacity has revealed that it will take eight weeks to pump out the water and conduct a safety audit before resuming production,” it adds.
It has reiterated calls on relevant authorities to take action to curb activities of illegal miners along the river.
The company believes stopping illegal mining in the area will ensure the safety of not only its workers but also those perpetrating the illegality.
“We call on the relevant authorities to take immediate action by bringing a closure to the existence and activities of illegal miners along the riverbank”.
It continued, “This is key in preventing potential dangers and disaster to both the illegal miners and our workers and operations. We request urgent support to mitigate this situation and prevent future occurrences”.
