General News of Sunday, 18 June 2006

Source: GNA

Cyanide spillage at BGL again.

Dumasi (W/R) June 18-GNA- There was a cyanide spillage at Bogoso Gold Limited (BGL) tailings dam at Bogoso at the weekend. This has polluted Ajoo stream, which links Apepre one of the streams, which serves Dumas community. Consequently, some dead fishes and lobsters were collected from the stream at Dumasi.

This time, a joint on the main tailings returning pipe, carrying tailings from the processing plant into the tailings dams, was disengaged and cyanide-laden tailings poured into the external environment.

The General Manager, Mr Bruce Higson-Smith, corroborated the story and said it was an unfortunate incident but the damage has been repaired.

He said investigation on the spillage was ongoing and the full report would be released to the public very soon.

During an interaction between Ghana News Agency (GNA) with Dumasi Community, an opinion leader and the Chief Farmer, Mr Justice Oppong said the incident happened during the night and at daybreak some farmers who were not aware fetched some of the water and used it. He said a number of fishes and lobsters, which were alleged, to have been killed by the spillage have been kept for analysis. Meanwhile Tarkwa Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) office has taken some samples of water, fishes and sediments for analysis and would continue to monitor the situation.