Accra, Oct. 28, GNA - The Youth for Action Ghana (YAG), youth activist group dedicated to the promotion of human rights, protection of the environment and inculcation of patriotism, has condemned Newmont Ahafo Mine for the recent cyanide spillage.

Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) Ahafo Mine spilled cyanide at its processing plant on 8 October 2009 and was identified by people living in the nearby communities on Saturday 10 October 2009 through the number of dead fishes they saw floating in their local stream. A statement Mr James Kwabena Bomfeh Jr., Executive Director of YAG, signed said since the cyanide spillage occurred NGGL 'has hyped up its propaganda machinery and put up stories (in the media) to convince the people of Ghana that the spillage was a small incident with no negative effects except that it killed two fishes and sometimes six fishes depending on which official of the Company is speaking'. It said YAG was concerned that 'Newmont has not learnt lessons from its experiences in terms of the legal suits, conflicts and environmental damages associated with chemical pollution of the environment by the Company's operations in Peru, US and Indonesia'.

It said: 'In 2001, the Cajamarca Provincial Council in Peru had a $3 million settlement with Newmont Yanacocha Mine in a court case filed against Newmont by the Mayor of Cajamarca for the mercury spill by the company in June 2000, which affected the health of many peasants,' the statement said. YAG said 'in addition, Newmont paid $10 million to treat people affected by the mercury spillage and for cleaning up the mercury spill. In Indonesia, Newmont dumps mine waste into the Sea in a creek known as Buyat Bay. Residents in the area claimed that the waste that Newmont dumped into the sea had contaminated local fish stocks and the pollution had made the local people sick. The Indonesian government filed a suit of US$ 133.6 million against Newmont and the case ended in Newmont paying US $30 million for a 10-year period in an out of court settlement .

'In February 2009, Newmont paid $ 4 million as a settlement of a 5-year old class action suit launched against Newmont Mining Corporation on the allegation that Newmont sent massive amounts of toxic water into the city of Grass Valley's sewage treatment plant. The Company will also spend $2 million to build another water treatment plant for the city,' the statement said.

YAG said; 'Newmont has realized that Ghana does not have strong laws that can hold the Company to pay for environmental damages so it has resorted to deception and lies to destroy the seriousness of the cyanide spillage. Ghana cannot continue in the fight against exploitation, corruption and diversionary gimmicks without very strong laws in the extractive industry especially as we look forward to drilling our oil soon'. The statement said 'Newmont cannot escape blame because it has been established that the cyanide spillage was caused by Newmont's negligence. Youth for Action Ghana condemns the cyanide spillage by Newmont Ahafo mine and expresses disgust about the cheap lies being told to the people of Ghana.

YAG called on the Government not to allow Newmont Ahafo Mine to get away with the cyanide spillage and urged it to establish full scale investigations into the cyanide spillage and then apply appropriate punishment against the Company if found guilty. 28 Oct. 09