MAXAM Limited imposed with US$6 million fine for Apiatse explosion
Akufo-Addo orders Lands minister to pay US$1 million from MAXAM fine to Fund
Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has expressed dissatisfaction over a US$4 million cash donation made by the Ghana Chamber of Mines to the Apiatse Support Fund.
According to the minister, it is not out of place for the Chamber to take up the entire cost of the reconstruction of the Apiatse community as he [Abu Jinapor] would have compelled the Chamber to do so if he had his way.
The lands minister made this known when the Chamber of Mines led by its President, Eric Asubonteng made the presentation on Wednesday, February 23, 2022.
Despite recognising the contribution which was made by four members of the Chamber namely; AngloGold Ashanti Limited, Chirano Gold Mines Limited, Goldfields Ghana Limited and Newmont Ghana Limited, the lands minister expressed that the amount donated was very insignificant.
He explained that this is due to the membership of the Chamber and the industry in which they operated as well as the scope of their portfolio.
“The extractive industry must do more to carry the people with them, and must, therefore, show leadership and a greater responsibility in such unfortunate and tragic incidents,” the minister said.
“Most of the affected residents feel they were sitting in their homes, doing their little farming, only for some mining company they do not benefit from came to cause an explosion that has devastated their lives and made them miserable,” Jinapor added.
Meanwhile, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines of Mines on his part said the funds were however mobilised from its members to support the reconstruction and relief efforts of the Apiatse community.
Eric Asubonteng further commended the Minister of Lands [Samuel Abu Jinapor] for demonstrating leadership and decisiveness in dealing with the Apiatse incident.
“It has been handled in such a way that the industry has been held together. Because it could have meant anything, and if it had gotten out of hand, it wouldn’t have been to the benefit of any stakeholder.” Asubonteng expressed.
Meanwhile, the lands minister assured of his outfit's support to the Ghana Chamber of Mines and called on them to team up with government and its partners for more development in the extractive sector.
Following the explosion incident, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has ordered US$5 million out of the total US$6 million fine imposed on MAXAM Ghana Limited to be paid into the coffers of the Apiatse Support Fund.
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor subsequently announced the imposition of a US$1 million administrative fine and an additional US$5 million against MAXAM.
This was after a committee of inquiry found MAXAM guilty of breaches in the incident of January 20, 2022, in which the transportation of some mining explosives from MAXAM’s plant at Iduapriem to Chirano Gold Mines resulted in a blast at Apiatse in the Western Region.
In a release dated Thursday, January 10, 2022, the lands minister said the President has ordered the US$5 million fine to be paid into the account of a fund set up to support the victims of the accident which led to 13 deaths.
Samuel Abu Jinapor, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources