Ghana charges Maxam Company over truck blast
The government of Ghana announced that Spanish mining company, Maxam Ghana Limited has been fined €5.25 million following a deadly explosion truck explosion in Ghana last month.
Ghana’s Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources said thee Madrid-based mining company had been fined for violating storage and transport laws. At least thirteen people were killed and dozens injured when a truck loaded with explosives collided with another vehicle and caught fire.
The accident triggered a colossal explosion that completely destroyed Apeatse, a village in the Prestea Huni-Valley municipality near the town of Bogoso. The vehicle had belonged to Maxam’s Ghana branch and was on its way to an internationally-run gold mine.
Breaching regulations
“The ministry imposed the fine due to “the nature and the totality of the circumstance leading to this tragic incident,” said Ghana’s Lands Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor.
The government gave Maxam a $1 million administrative fine for breaching regulations and imposed a $5 million fee for damages, to be paid out in monthly instalments. Maxam denied responsibility for the January explosion and blamed a local contractor called Arthanns Logistics whom they had contracted to transport the explosives. They however said in a statement that it would pay the government’s €5.25 million fine so it could continue operating.
Arthanns, whose full name is Arthanns Transport Services, did not respond to requests for comment. It and another local firm called Jocyderk Logistics are being investigated for possible ties to the explosion, the lands ministry said. The actions of unspecified officials are also being reviewed.
