Shooting At Anglogold

AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, a mining giant, has said a shooting incident took place at one of its mining pits in which a 23-year-old man from Binsere in the Ashanti Region was the victim. �AngloGold Ashanti Ghana regrets to report a shooting incident at Obuasi Mine allegedly committed by an employee of a private security firm engaged by the company,� a statement signed by John Owusu, General Manager, Public Affairs of AngloGold Ashanti, said. It noted, �Contrary to AngloGold Ashanti guidelines and security protocol in Ghana which categorically prohibits the unauthorized use of firearms, an individual was wounded as a result of a gunshot at the South Tailings Storage Facility near Dokyiwa Village on Wednesday, August 10, at approximately 7:30pm.� According to the statement, initial reports suggest that �a group unlawfully entered the South Tailings Storage Dam area and an employee of Ghanatta Security Services, a private firm under contract with Obuasi Mine, allegedly discharged a firearm, hitting a 23-year-old man from Binsere in the back.� It said the firearm was believed to be privately owned and was not the property of Anglogold Ashanti. �Security personnel employed by firms working with AngloGold Ashanti in Ghana are not entitled to carry firearms and must act in accordance with internationally recognized human rights protocols,� it stated. According to the statement, �AngloGold Ashanti is investigating this incident, including allegations of collusion between security contractors and illegal miners, in light of the Voluntary Principles on Security and Human Rights and of Ghanatta�s contractual obligations which clearly state that the carrying and use of firearms is forbidden.� �AngloGold Ashanti has commenced an internal investigation. The investigation will address appropriate disciplinary proceedings to ensure that human rights continue to be universally respected and the Company guidelines and protocols are consistently applied regardless of circumstances,� it said According to the statement, the injured man was taken to the government hospital in Obuasi by colleagues and AngloGold Ashanti subsequently provided medical assistance from the company hospital in Obuasi and transported the injured individual by company ambulance to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. It said AngloGold Ashanti had arranged for specialist care, adding that the mining giant was committed to �bearing the full costs of treatment, and is closely monitoring his condition�. It said the incident was �immediately reported to the Obuasi Central Police Station for further investigation�, and �the Municipal Commissioner for Human Rights and Administrative Justice has been briefed on the case.� The statement quoted Kwesi Enyan, Managing Director of the Obuasi Mine as saying, �We are committed to helping this individual recover and we sympathize with him and his family as they go through this trying situation. AngloGold Ashanti remains committed to ensuring that all employees, security companies, and all other contractors working with us, respect human rights and conduct themselves in full compliance with our policies, protocols and guidelines.�