Newmont Ghana says low oxygen levels cause fishes death at Ahafo facility

Newmont Ghana has confirmed that the cause of fish deaths in the Ahafo Water Storage Facility (WSF) in January was due to low oxygen levels in the water.

A statement issued in Accra copied the Ghana News Agency quoted Randy Barnes, the Regional Vice President, Environment and Social Responsibility, as saying “the company’s earlier position as well as that of experts from the Water Resource Institute indicated that the oxygen levels in the facility at that time of season were low and likely to have led to the deaths of the fish.”

It said “we have since engaged a team of experts from the Fisheries Commission and Water Resources Institute who are carrying out a comprehensive ecological study of the facility that would help us understand the seasonal nature of the fish deaths as well as the future management of the facility”.

The statement said the information regarding low oxygen levels in the water is based on results from external laboratories and that the  Environmental Protection Agency has also conducted its own investigations and is expected to make its findings available to the general public.

It said Newmont’s ongoing water monitoring process continues to verify that the water in the WSF is in compliance with EPA standards and we would continue to monitor the water quality of boreholes that we have provided for the communities around the facility.

The statement said the WSF is a fresh water dam that is within the boundaries of the mine and was built to provide water for the mining operations. It is a restricted area and has a community patrol team to educate the public about the WSF and to prevent potential trespassers from fishing or swimming in the facility.

Source: GNA