A JOURNALIST HECKELED BY NEWMONT STAFF

Three Newmont workers on January 2, 2012 heckled a member of the Ghana Journalists Network on Mining, Oil and Gas (GJNMONG), Nestor Kafui Adjomah, when they realized he was filming the dead fishes collected from Subri river dam in Newmont's Ahafo mine, tempering with his video camara.

The dead fishes were being loaded into the company's vehicle apparent to be sent to the mass burial site, where they had already buried large quantities of the dead fishes the previous days.

This reporter in the company of other environmental journalists had gone to the dam site to ascertain the situation, upon a tip by a resident staying around the dam.

Mr. Kafui who is stringer for Television Africa was muscled away by Newmont staff for not asking for permission before filming the dead fish packed on the road side, which was open for public view. Even though the reporter had not gone beyond the company's restricted area, they prevented him from doing his work.

The incident happened right one side of the elongated dusty road Newmont constructed around the dam , after two people were crossing the river to the other side had drown in the Subri river, using the heap of sand piled across the river, as access route for the communities around, during the constructional stage of the dam.

Wacam's representative in Kenyasi, Mr.Yakubu Adusah who was coincidentally at the Kwame Aduanikrom, one of the communities closer to the dam, on an invitation of the community, condemned the action of Newmont workers.

The Chronicle's ace Environmental Reporter, Mr. Clement Boateng, who was also present could not fathom why those Newmont staff should behave they way they did since the reporter had not trespassed beyond the restricted area of the company.

Meanwhile Mr. Kafui was not hurt but has still been complaining of his camara which has been malfunctioning since the incident.