Accra, June 09, GNA – Employees of AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Iduapriem Mine, have marked this year’s World Environment Day with tree planting exercise and a litter clean-up campaign around the company’s operational area, ongoing project sites, and selected communities.
A statement issued by AGA, copied to the Ghana News Agency said World Environment Day is globally observed annually on June 5 to encourage worldwide awareness and action for the protection of the environment.
It noted that this year’s event was commemorated on the theme: “Only One Earth.”
Speaking at a ceremony to launch activities for World Environment Day, Mr Samuel Boakye Pobee, the Managing Director of Iduapriem Mine, said the company was committed to investing in technology that brings its operations closer to zero emissions and highlighted some initiatives the Mine had taken to contribute to environmental protection and the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
“We have chosen to deploy caterpillar’s Dynamic Gas Blending (DGB) technology at our Mine in line with the International Council on Mining and Metals (ICMM) goal of achieving emission-free surface mining vehicles by 2040 and promoted restoration of ecosystem and its services with our rehabilitation programme,” Mr Pobee stated.
“We have also initiated a biodiversity survey to assess the state of current ecosystem services within our concession, installed a 346 kilo-watt solar plant to provide power for the Mine’s residential areas and upgraded our water treatment plant to ensure that good quality water is discharged from our operations, among others.”
He, therefore, reiterated the company’s commitment to conduct its operations in a sustainable and environmentally responsible manner, and entreated all employees and stakeholders to reflect on ways to interact and live in harmony with nature to save the earth for future generations.
On his part, Mr William Addo, Manager, Environment, Iduapriem Mine noted that every Ghanaian had a role to play in protecting the environment and called for collective sense of responsibility and efforts to preserve the environment for sustainable development.
“World Environment Day is a reminder to all of us to protect our natural resources and promote a sustainable and safer environment,” Mr Addo said.
“We only have one earth; we cannot afford to lose it.”
The statement said prior to this event, Iduapriem Mine in collaboration with the Centre for National Culture and the National Youth Authority organized a symposium on the theme: Preserving Our Environment for Posterity: The Role of Stakeholders.
It noted that it was aimed at promoting sound environmental practices in the wake of climate change.
GNA