Galiano Gold says contractors killed in incident near tailings storage facility
Two contractors died on the job at a gold mine in Ghana owned by a Canadian company. Galiano Gold is based out of Vancouver and it released a statement saying two had been killed on Sunday in an “incident” near a tailings storage facility at the Asanko Gold Mine.
"On behalf of Galiano Gold, we offer our sincerest condolences to the family, friends, and co-workers of our two colleagues," says Matt Badylak, president and chief executive officer.
The statement goes on to say local authorities are investigating and “efforts are immediately underway to further reinforce the sustained Company commitment to Zero Harm and industry best practices in safety culture.”
Both contractors were pronounced dead at the scene. The company says it is providing support and counselling to everyone impacted by the fatalities.
This isn’t the first death at the Asanko Gold Mine. A contractor was killed on the job in 2015.
Rodrigue Turgeon is the co-lead for the Canada national program for Mining Watch Canada, an industry watchdog. He tells CBC News the organization is calling for an independent investigation into the incident.
“While we still know too little about the causes of the human catastrophe, it is unfortunate that once again the 'Zero Harm' precautions taken by another Canadian mining company abroad are not sufficient to ensure the safety of all workers," says Turgeon.
"Canada must take responsibility for the impacts of its mining corporations operating abroad. Our thoughts are with the families and loved ones of the deceased contractors."
Galiano Gold says about 2,600 people work at the mine, and 99 percent of the employees are Ghanaian.
