EPA, Minerals Commission must ensure effective monitoring – HSWU
The Western and Western North branch of the Health Services Workers’ Union (HSWU) has urged the government to ensure Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the Minerals Commission (MINCOM) play their roles effectively.
It argued that, the regulatory and monitoring functions of the EPA and MINCOM were critical in the promotion of good health, safety, security and the well- being of workers in the mining sector.
It further noted that, strong institutions were key to preventing disasters in the mining and quarry sectors, stating “we need to make our institutions work and deliver on their mandates as prescribed by law.”
Regional Chairperson of the group, Mrs Irene Biney, raised these issues in an interview with the Ghanaian Times on Friday, when members held a clean-up exercise at the Essikado Hospital, as part of activities marking the HSWU month which falls in September, every year.
It is on the theme “Rising together for decent work in the digital age.”
Referring to the explosion at the Sta Addsams Enterprise, a quarry at Kobenaandohkrom, at Anto Abosso in Shama District, Mrs Biney said the disaster could have been avoided if regulation and monitoring at the site were effective.
Comparing the Sta Addsams’ explosion to the Appiatse incident, she believed they could have been prevented.
“Our institutions need to be proactive on the job. Health, safety, and security are critical to productivity and the economy,” the Regional HSWU Chairperson told the Ghanaian Times.
Mrs Biney argued that when such incidents occurred, one sector which came under stress was the health institutions, and therefore, suggested the strengthening of district health infrastructure.
She noted that when the disaster occurred, the CHPS compound in the area could not handle the emergencies, and so victims were referred to the Effia Nkwanta Regional Hospital for treatment.
She added “Health workers are one of the frontline personnel to be deployed in such situations and so we need to expand, for example, CHPS and also have well-equipped hospitals in the districts to handle emergencies. The death of five persons including injuries recorded at the site, could have been prevented.
“Western Region experiences a lot of mining and quarry activities and so workers are always prone to such disasters. Government should ensure our regulatory institutions properly function. We need to save the lives of our workers and communities.”
Addressing members earlier, Mrs Biney advised them to be in tune with the digital world and improve their knowledge, capacity and also become more productive in future.
Changes to the nature of the work and the quality of jobs, she said, had shifted and accelerated the adoption of online work and service delivery.
“A cleaner may now clean only those parts of the building that have been used the previous day, as detected by a digital sensor and machines clean faster and better resulting in the employment of fewer workforce,” she said.
FROM CLEMENT ADZEI BOYE, ESSIKADO
