AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi Mine) has been operating along principles and values of respect for the environment, the Managing Director, Mr Kwesi Enyan, has said. "AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi mine has adopted International Standard Organization (ISO) 14001 environmental management system since 2006 in managing its environmental issues", he said.
He was speaking at the company's "ISO 14001 re-certification sensitization programme" at Obuasi that involved inauguration of its policy statement on the environment and an awareness creation float through the main streets of Obuasi.
Mr Enyan said the mine and its employees and other service providers were committed to conducting all their mining operation in an environmentally responsible manner. "Management, employees and service providers are committed to conduct all their mining, gold extraction processes and related supporting activities in an environmentally responsible manner and uphold all corporate environmental objectives of AngloGold Ashanti Limited", he said.
Mr Enyan said he was happy that the company's celebration of ISO 14001 had involved leaders and community members to join hands to fight against unsound environmental practices that tend to put undue pressure on the environment.
He said practices such as mining in water bodies by illegal miners, dumping of refuse in
water bodies, use of chemicals to harvest fish and indiscriminate burning of bushes should be checked since these could cause serious environmental problems.
Mr John Alexander Ackon, Obuasi Municipal Chief Executive, advised communities along the Oda River to be wary of human activities that would undermine the capacity of the Odaso Head-works that supply water to the municipality.
He said at full capacity the headworks could produce four million gallons of water a day
but at present the capacity was about one million gallons of water a day.