By Erica Apeatua Addo
Huniso (W/R), April 29, GNA – The Disaster and Emergency Management Hub of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, in collaboration with Gold Fields Ghana Limited, has conducted a simulation exercise in Huniso, a community located in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region.
The exercise was part of its capacity building and readiness to respond effectively to disaster, particularly water from the Tailings Storage Facility.
Other partners, who participated in the exercise, included the National Fire Service, National Disaster Management Organisation, Police Service, Armed Forces, Prisons Service, National Ambulance Service, Environmental Protection Agency, and Minerals Commission.
The simulation exercise also formed part of activities to commemorate this year’s World Day for Safety and Health at Work. It was on the theme: “The Impact of Climate Change on Occupational Safety and Health.”
The incident commander, Chief Superintendent Raymond Erzuah, the Tarkwa Divisional Police Commander, commended all the agencies and cautioned Ghanaians to keep away from accident scenes to avoid falling victim to tragedy.
Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, the Vice Chancellor of UMaT, said over the past three years, the University had teamed up with security agencies, and safety and health units in mining companies to celebrate the annual event by engaging their communities to promote safety.
“When there is dam spillage, tones of volumes of slurry try to take over a community, residents living in such area should ensure that once a siren goes and they hear it, they need to move to the emergency assembly point that has been created to stay safe.”
“There is no time to go home and take your money or prepare food. The key issue is to run for your life and after the disaster has passed, we can find ways to get back some of the things you might have lost”.
Prof. Amankwah warned Ghanaians to desist from rushing to accident scenes to collect diesel or petrol.
“About two years ago, we recorded the Appiatse incident. The people who died were those trying to take snapshots, anytime there is dam spillage from Akosombo, an accident on the road or Mine, the first thing is to consider your life, and get to an assembling point, if there is none go as far as you can.”
The Municipal Fire Commander of Tarkwa, Divisional Officer Grade II, Alex Assiem, said his office had strategised to embark on a house-to-house education on the need for the people to protect themselves and their property.
Dr Isaac Dasmani, the Municipal Chief Executive of Prestea Huni-Valley, entreated Ghanaians to prioritise assisting the injured and transporting them to hospital rather than focusing on taking pictures when they visit accident scenes.
He appealed to the stakeholders to organise more such exercises at both Prestea Huni-Valley and Tarkwa-Nsuaem municipalities to prevent disasters.
The World Day for Safety and Health at Work is celebrated annually on April 28 to promote the prevention of occupational accidents and disease globally.
GNA