Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has disclosed President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo is himself coordinating government’s efforts and intervention for victims of the Appiatse explosion in the Western Region.
He stated that the emergency and relief response has been swift and robust judging from the interventions that have already been executed.
According to him, when the incident occurred on 20th January, 2022, the President who was chairing a Cabinet meeting stepped out to begin the initial coordination of government efforts.
“And as many of us have seen, relief items were sent almost immediately the following day. The Vice President led a high-powered delegation made up of the Ministers of Lands and Natural Resources, Interior and Information to commiserate with the victims and Appiatse.”
“We have also taken some very far-reaching steps by suspending the operations of Maxam Company Limited, which is the company at the centre of the manufacture of these explosives as well as Jocyderk Logistics Ghana Limited, which is the company responsible for the transportation of the explosives,” he said.
Mr. Abu Jinapor disclosed this in Parliament on Tuesday when addressed the media on government’s effort to mobilizing resources to support victims of the explosion.
He indicated that the Chief Inspector of Mines has been interdicted to enable a credible investigation to be conducted into what led to the explosion in accordance with the highest standards of integrity.
Government, he said, is fully on top of the matter and that the President is committed to organizing the government to mobilize all the resources needed to support the victims and to reconstruct the Appiate community.
He said, “Today on the instruction of President Akufo-Addo, I inaugurated a five-member committee to oversee the Appiate Support Fund that we have launched.”
We call on Ghanaian residents and friends of Ghana to contribute to this fund in order to be able to raise the necessary funding to rebuild the community for the people.”
The Committee, he said, is chaired by the renowned and distinguished Reverend Dr. Joyce Aryee, a distinguished citizen of the country and expressed hope and belief the Committee will work together to be able to raise the necessary funding to reconstruct the community.
According to the Lands Minister, when matters of his nature happen, there is the need for broader interrogation and examination in order to learn useful lessons from the industry and to be able to craft sufficient policy regimes and also tighten all loopholes.
Earlier on the floor of the House, Mr. Abu Jinapor in a statement indicated that the government’s delegation to the Appiate Community had received briefings from security personnel on the ground and also visited the site of the explosion as well as the injured in hospitals and the displaced people.
He disclosed that government has decided to pay in full the medical bills of all those who got injured in the incident.
He said, “Already Mr. Speaker, the government through the Ministry of Roads and Highways has commenced repair works on the road to make it motorable again after a section was completely destroyed by the explosion.”
The Minister also indicated that pursuant to Section 101 of the Minerals and Mining Act 2003, Act 703, a Ministerial Committee of enquiry will be established to examine the entire health and safety regime of the mining sector in Ghana and make recommendations on legislative and policy reforms.
The Committee, he said, will be given one month to present its report and added it is imperative out of the calamity useful lessons are derived so Ghanaians can confidently say never again.
Source: Mypublisher24.com
