Newmont Ghana has announced plans to support government’s humanitarian and relief efforts towards victims of the recent floods that claimed several lives and properties in Accra.

The company says it is ready to support the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the area of emergency response training as it seeks to provide relief to the victims and their families.

Over a hundred Ghanaians lost their lives while several others were displaced following hours of heavy down pour in the country. President John Mahama has declared a three-day national period of mourning while relief efforts continue.

Delivering a speech at an event to mark this year’s World Environment Day in Accra, Johan Ferreira, Regional Senior Vice President of Newmont Africa, expressed the company’s condolence to the bereaved families and pledged Newmont’s support towards capacity building for NADMO officials through Newmont’s site Emergency Response Teams.

“In addition Newmont will provide an amount of 50,000 Ghana Cedis to assist Government to provide humanitarian support to victims of the recent fire outbreak," he added.

The Accra flood is a stark reminder of the harsh realities of climate change in today’s world and calls for concerted action by all to ensure the sustainability of our planet. Johan Ferreira stressed on the urgency of taking our efforts and actions at saving the planet more seriously. He added that "We simply have to do more to ensure that our natural resources can sustainably cater for all of us in our lifetime and beyond.”

This year’s World Environment Day was marked on the theme “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet, Consume with Care”.

Delivering his Key note address on behalf of the President, the Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Mahama Ayariga said government has put in place a task force to tour all filling stations in the country to ensure that they comply with environmental and regulatory standards. The move follows the inferno that claimed the lives of over hundred Ghanaians at the filling station in Accra recently.

He blamed poor planning for the disaster and assured that government is doing all it can to ensure these disasters don’t happen.