UMaT Investigation Report Clears Goldfields Ghana Of Causing Environmental And Health Effects To Residents At Tarkwa-Brahabebome 

University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) in Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region investigation report on the impact of the gold mining activities of Gold Fields Ghana Limited's Tarkwa Mine has proved that the activities of company were not responsible for defects in buildings at Brahabebome as being alleged by a cross section of the residents in the area.

The executive summary of UMaT's investigation and research report intercepted by Soireenews. com exonerated Goldfields Ghana Limited's Tarkwa Mine of any wrong doing in the relation to the company's ongoing gold mining activities at Brahabebome and its adjoining communities in the municipality.

During the research and investigation, the report stated that the UMaT study team evaluated various blasting and atmospheric impacts resulting from current mining operations undertaken at closest pit—Pepe Cut 5 pit by the company.

 Additionally, the report asserted that the team evaluated the inferred impacts from the historical mining activities at nearby pits—specifically the Pepe Cut 8 and Teberebie pits, which were closer to the Brahabebome community.

According to the report, this comprehensive approach by the UMaT study team sought to understand both present and past impacts in the community, ensuring a thorough evaluation of potential environmental and health effects. 

"Pepe Cut 5 pit was the active operating pit in proximity to Brahabebome community during the study period and therefore was adopted by the study team as the reference pit," part of the investigation report reads.

The report indicated that based on the historical perspective and science, the following mining impacts were considered for the study, ground vibrations and frequencies, air blasts or air overpressures, noise, cracks physio-chemical and biological water pollution.

The report said the UMaT study team after the research and investigation has recommended that building inspections and standards should be enforced within the communities to ensure that all building structures being constructed confirm to the building code of the Republic of Ghana.

According to the report, the team recommended that refuse dumps adjacent the Bediabewu stream should be relocated away from the stream.

The report noted that the team recommended that the identified domestic waste leakage entering the Bediabewu stream should be investigated and resolved.

Aside the UMaT study team denial of the wrong doings in the mining operations of the company in the area, the custodians of Brahabebome land in the Apinto Divisional Area under the Wassa Fiase Traditional Council cleared the company of engaging in irresponsible mining activities in Mantrim Pits.

They have vehemently refuted viral media reports that the residents living in Brahabebome are bleeding amid devastating effects of ongoing irresponsible mining activities engaged by the multinational gold company, Goldfields Ghana Limited.

In the media reports, the Brahabebom New Town Landlords Associatio accused the company of engaging in the harmful mining activities at Brahabebome and its surrounding communities, which has resulted in the loss of livelihood, displacement of dozens of landlords, pollution of many rivers and destruction of building properties.

In that reports, the group of the landlords appealed to President John Dramani Mahama to, immediately order the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Honourable Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah to issue a stern warning to the company to comply with regulatory guidelines and Brahabebome community demands or face resistance. 

The association noted that the reported claim by the company of meeting its 2023 environmental targets is not true, stating that the company is seriously engaging in ongoing irresponsible mining activities at Brahabebom which has caused serious environmental incidents.

According to the Association any attempt by the company to mine in the Mantrim Pits will incur the displeasure of the community, who are more than prepared to stop the company.

The group Chairman of the Association, Mr. Emmanuel Brew Armoo, lamented that: "We are deeply concerned about the mining operations of Goldfields Ghana Limited, which have caused significant disturbances to our community and demonstrate a blatant disregard for regulatory guidelines." 

"Despite previous directives and agreements, Goldfields has continued to disregard our fundamental human rights and safety," he added.

Against this background, he averred that the association was demanding that Goldfields complies with the 2018 Commission on Human Rights and Administrative Justice (CHRAJ) report and its key recommendations, amongst which are resettle all persons within 500m of the mining area, and repair damaged houses and compensate affected community members.

"We wrote to CHRAJ on 13th February, 2018, and they advised Goldfields to execute partial resettlement for persons whose structures fall within 500m of the mining area," Mr. Armoo explained. 

"However, Goldfields obtained approval to work 400m from our community in October 2018 but later left after community intervention. Unfortunately, they have now returned to mine less than 300m away without our knowledge," he disclosed.

But in the quick response, the owners of Brahabebome land and traditional office holders  led by Gyaasehene of the Apinto Divisional Council in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality of the Western Region, Dr. Nana Adarkwa Bediako III, flatly denied the allegation levelled against the company, describing it as baseless, unfound­ed and misleading.

According to the traditional authorities, the individuals making allegations against the company are deemed to be speculative settlers, and therefore their claims are considered unfounded. 

They clarified that individuals occupying the land in question do not possess legally recognized documentation or building indentures for their claim to the property.

This suggests that the traditional office holders and elders, who are responsible for land management, believe these individuals have no legitimate claim to the land in question. 

They maintained that the company has lawfully acquired the land in question and has engaged in its mining activities in Mantrim Pits before these residents (speculative settlers) went to build their structures closed to Mantrim Pits, claiming that the company should compensate and resettle them.

They added that the fact of the matter is that 
"if you go to the area now, you would find out that all these landlords making these allegations against the company, their houses are less than twenty-five (25) years but it is on record that the Goldfields Ghana Limiited long existed for more twenty-five years."

"If these groups of people know that the large commercial mining activities were ongoing in this area and the the company blasting activities would affect them why is it that these landlords would move there to build properties closed to the mine," they rhetorically asked.  

"We the custodians of Brahabebome lands are law abiding people and that they cannot support or allow the company to engage in harmful mining activities against our people. But what we are saying is that the conduct of these individuals to build their houses closed to the mine was completely unacceptable,"they stated.

In this sense, they called on President John Dramani Mahama, Minister of Lands and Natural Resources and the general public to disregard any publications attempting to link the company to irresponsible mining activities mining in the area.

The traditional authorities stated that they believe 
that these allegations are part of a deliberate campaign by the group numbering about fifteen (15) to tarnish the reputation of the gold mining company which engaged in proper mining activities.

According to them, they would be the last persons to allow or support the company to engage in illegalities which would cause disturbances and  environmental accidents in the area.

"We would like to use this opportunity to deny in all reasonable terms that Goldfields Ghana Limited is not involved in irresponsible mining activities that is killing and destroying building at Tarkwa-Brahabebome as being alleged by the cross section of the people in the community," the Tradtional authorities led by Dr. Nana Adarkwa Bediako III set the record straight

According to them, the company extensively engaged the people in the community including the traditional leaders and other key stakeholders before the company was permitted by the mining regulatory institutions to commerce or begin its gold operations in 2025.

They pointed out that the company explained in details of the measures adopted including the modern technologies to prevent any impact or effect by its gold mining activities in the areas around its mining operations.

They indicated that a joint monitoring team including Brahabebome Landlords Association monitored every blasting activities of the company in the area.

They asserted that it is on the public record that "to date all the various blasts monitored by the monitoring team are in compliance with the relevant environmental regulations and guidelines outlined in the Minerals and Mining Act, as well as other relevant environmental laws.

They added that this includes adhering to established limits for vibration, air overpressure, and fly rock, as well as ensuring proper safety precautions are taken during blasting operations of the company.

According to the traditional office holders, the new technology adopted by the company cannot kill and destroy any building as being alleged by the current media publication attributed to the Brahabebome New Landlords Association.  

They were of the view that the issue of the blast impact on the existing building structures at Brahabebome was source of compliance by the residents.

They mentioned that in 2024, a cross-section of the people in the community petitioned Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Assembly and copied to the Minerals Commission of Ghana, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) among other mining regulatory institutions on the impact of Goldfields Ghana Limited blasting activities on their building structures.

They pointed out that at the meeting of the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipal Security Committee with the representatives of the community and Goldfields Ghana Limited present, the meeting formed a sub-committee that tasked the University of Mines and Technology(UMaT) to investigate the matter.

They revealed that UMaT has started work in earnest and a draft report which showed that the Goldfields Ghana Limited mining activities is not responsible for any defects in building structure in the area.

However, according to them, since the matter was of utmost importance and involved a community, UMaT requested for time extension to conduct some additional investigation to confirm some findings made previously.

"Our information is that UMaT have finished this work and would submit its final report by June 27, 2025," they stated.

They recalled that in 2015, a similar study was undertaken by Geo Consulting Limited and the result proved that Goldfields Ghana Limited mining activities were not responsible for defects in buildings ad being alleged by the group of residents at Brahabebome.