Body of suspected illegal miner retrieved from Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo Mine

The body of a suspected illegal artisanal miner has been retrieved from Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo mine’s operational area with the assistance of local police.

On Friday, 10th June, the local police and traditional authorities from Hwidiem in the Asutifi North District, sought permission from the company for a group of illegal artisanal miners to have access to its operational area in search of a colleague they believed must have fallen into the pit.

The company granted access and the body was located, identified and retrieved from an illegal mining pit dug within the Ahafo mine’s Apensu pit area.

Over the weekend, there have been media reports, (based on an erroneous social media post) alleging the victim had been shot and linking the company to the illegal miner’s death.

“Newmont Ghana’s private security contractors are unarmed as per Ghanaian law,” Alex Kofi Annin, Acting General Manager, Ahafo mine, said.

“The Police are investigating and we are fully cooperating with them to establish the cause of the death,” he added.

"Illegal artisanal mining poses security, safety, and environmental risks within the Ahafo South operational area. Despite Newmont Ghana’s work to prevent these illegal mining activities, the Company expresses its condolences to the family and community of the deceased.”