Gan-He Mine Shut Down as EPA Uncovers Dangerous Environmental Infractions

The dramatic shutdown forms part of the EPA’s nationwide compliance exercise targeting mining companies accused of flouting Ghana’s environmental and mining regulations.

Speaking during the enforcement operation, Deputy Director in charge of Mining Operations at the EPA Headquarters, Harrison Haron Afful, disclosed that the company had failed to comply with several directives issued by the Authority following an earlier inspection conducted on January 27, 2026.According to him, the EPA had previously issued the company with an enforcement notice, imposed a fine, and directed management to undertake remedial measures within one to three months after inspectors uncovered multiple environmental infractions.

However, months after the directives were issued, the company was allegedly still operating under the same conditions.

Mr. Afful revealed that the company was found discharging contaminated water into the external environment, depositing cyanide-laden tailings into an unengineered tailings storage facility, poorly managing sediments around the facility, failing to submit environmental monitoring returns to the Authority, and processing tailings materials without the required environmental permit.

He explained that the continued depositing of tailings has forced the EPA to order the immediate shutdown of the processing plant, while underground dewatering activities have also been halted.

Mr. Afful described the company as “recalcitrant,” accusing it of deliberately refusing to comply with the conditions attached to its environmental permit and Ghana’s environmental laws.He stressed that the Authority will continue to intensify enforcement actions against mining companies whose activities pose a threat to the environment and nearby communities.

The shutdown of the mining operations is expected to send a strong warning to other mining firms across the country as the EPA tightens its nationwide crackdown on environmental non-compliance in the mining sector.

Source: Nana Esi Brew Monney

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