The government has justified the disbursement of a GH¢7 million penalty slapped on Newmont Ghana Ltd for negligently spilling cyanide at its Ahafo Mine. Deputy Minister of Environment Science and Technology Edward Omane Boamah says the disbursement is geared towards improving infrastructure in the affected communities and to strengthen the capacity of institutions whose responsibility it is to regulate the activities of the mining industry in the country. 45 per cent representing GH¢3.1 million is expected to go to the affected communities with GH¢2.8 million and GH¢1.05 million going to the Environmental Protection Agency and the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission respectively. Dr. Boamah told Joy News’ Stephen Anti on Tuesday that district assemblies within the affected communities will be tasked to provide potable water and other developmental facilities for the people. No physical cash, he said, will be handed to the people within the communities except in instances where an individual can prove beyond doubt that he or she was directly affected by the spillage. According to the deputy minister, 800,000 pieces of fish were killed by the spillage, adding that the spillage had devastating effect on biodiversity in the community. He stressed that the penalty will serve as a deterrent to other mining companies in order to be more careful in their future activities. With Ghana increasingly becoming an oil hub, the deputy minister indicated that institutions like the EPA will have to be strengthened and empowered to carry out their institutional responsibilities as expected. Play the attached audio for excerpts of the interview with Dr. Boamah. Story by Nathan Gadugah/Myjoyonline.com/Ghana