By Yussif Ibrahim
Obuasi (Ash), Nov. 03, GNA – Mining companies from across West Africa have converged in Obuasi to forge a stronger regional alliance in mine rescue and emergency response, with a shared commitment to ensuring that every mine worker returns home safely.
The maiden West Africa Mine Rescue and Emergency Response Competition, hosted by AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, has brought together mining firms from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Côte d’Ivoire and Senegal to assess their preparedness, sharpen technical skills and strengthen cooperation in responding to mining emergencies.
The five-day event, on the theme: “Together Saving Lives Through Preparedness and Excellence,” seeks to transform mine rescue from an individual company responsibility into a collective regional commitment.
Dr Samuel Boakye Pobee, Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, speaking at the opening ceremony, said the competition provided an opportunity to build a regional network of mine rescue professionals capable of sharing expertise, strengthening technical capabilities and supporting one another during emergencies.
He said the initiative should not be reduced to trophies and photographs but should translate into stronger capabilities, deeper partnerships and practical commitments to protecting lives.
“Let this competition mark the beginning of a regional movement towards a mining industry in which preparedness, competence and mutual support are defining characteristics,” he said.
Dr Pobee noted that the success of the mining industry should be measured not only by its economic contributions but also by its ability to protect workers and communities.
He said the industry had a responsibility to build resilient communities around its operations through sustainable livelihood opportunities and investments that extended beyond the economic benefits of mining.
The Managing Director said mine rescue personnel played a critical role in ensuring the safe evacuation of workers during emergencies, adding that their preparedness and technical expertise could make the difference between life and death.
He urged participants to use the competition as a platform to learn from one another, improve their capabilities and strengthen their commitment to emergency preparedness.
Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, said the industry’s contributions in terms of minerals production, investment, technology, employment and national development would be meaningless if workers could not return home safely.
“Without people, there is no mine. If people cannot come and go home safely, then we don’t have a mine,” he said.
Dr Ashigbey said the Chamber remained committed to promoting a strong culture of safety across the mining industry, stressing that the protection of workers must remain the foremost consideration in mining operations.
He noted that the West African competition offered mining companies the opportunity to assess their capabilities, identify gaps and strengthen their collective response to emergencies.
Dr Ashigbey urged participants to remain focused on the ultimate objective of the competition, which was to ensure the safety of mine workers and the effective management of emergencies.
The competition is expected to strengthen cooperation among participating countries and promote the development of a regional mine rescue network capable of responding effectively to emergencies across the West African mining industry.
It also reinforces the industry’s recognition that while mining companies may compete for resources and investment, the responsibility to protect human life remains a shared obligation.
GNA
Edited by Kwabia Owusu-Mensah/Lydia Kukua Asamoah
Reporter: Yussif Ibrahim
Email: [email protected]