By Dennis Peprah/Christopher Tetteh
Kenyasi, Ahafo Region, July 15, GNA – Mr Alex Kofi Annin, the General Manager of the Newmont Ahafo South Mine in the Asutifi North District of the Ahafo Region has reiterated the company’s commitment to enhancing a sustainable greener environment around its operational area.
Additionally, he emphasised that the safety of the mine’s employees, local communities, and the environment is an utmost priority, saying the company was striving to integrate energy efficiency and climate goals into its corporate strategy, aiming at zero-carbon emissions by 2050.
In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) at the mine’s plant site at Kenyasi, Mr Annin said: “Newmont Ahafo South mine is actively pursuing a future where our operations are greener, more efficient and thereby, contribute positively to the communities we serve”.
He spoke to the GNA on the sidelines of an unveiling of a Caterpillar R2900 XE underground loader machine procured by the company to reduce carbon emission, as the mine undertakes its underground mining in the area.
“A lot of ventilation and clean air is required underground and the CAT R2900 XE machine is capable of reducing diesel emissions of about 31 per cent”, Mr Annin stated, saying the “Caterpillar machine is both diesel and electric, designed with modern technology for sustainable mining”.
The machine increases production while using less fuel and reduces the level of emissions for a green and healthy environment, he added.
Mr Annin said Newmont had entered a US$100 million strategic alliance with the “CAT Company to build a comprehensive mining system that encompasses autonomous haulage fleets and other technologies for both surface and underground mining.
“The CAT underground Loader machine is the first in Ghana and Africa, and Newmont intends to procure five additional machines at the cost of U$18 by the end of 2026”, he stated and added the move was to mitigate the impact of climate change and thereby make the communities healthy for now and future generations.
Earlier, Mr Steven Scott, the Managing Director of Mantrac Ghana, the R2900 XE underground Loader Company handed over the machine to Newmont.
GNA