The AKOBEN programme as a tool towards responsible gold mining in Ghana, business as usual or a commitment towards sustainable development

The AKOBEN Programme, an environmental performance rating and disclosure initiative that show the environmental performance of gold mining firms with reference to their daily activities post environmental impact assessment and issuance of an environmental permit was introduced in Ghana to serve as a monitoring and verification tool towards environmental compliance and responsible mining. As to whether the AKOBEN Programme is enhancing the environment and or safeguarding public health in Ghana needs to be investigated. A systematic multi-methods environmental audit approach comprising of comparative analysis, time series analysis, air and water quality indices were used within the framework of the Driver-Pressure-State-Impact-Response to answer the questions what is happening to the environment and what the consequences for the environment and humanity are. The quality and suitability of River Kwabrafo as a habitat for aquatic life, for agricultural, recreational and drinking purposes pre and post AKOBEN Programme introduction as well as the quality of agricultural soils and river sediments in gold mining communities was determined. The study revealed that the AKOBEN Programme rates gold mining firms based on variable-by-variable concentrations of toxic water pollutants such as As, Cd, Hg, CN and non-toxic water pollutants such as pH, suspended solids, dissolved solids and electrical conductivity without taking into account the cumulative effect of the pollutants and the various uses of water. Results on the quality of River Kwabrafo based on the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment Water Quality Index confirmed no differences in water quality concerning use for agriculture, recreation, drinking and as a habitat for aquatic life before and after the introduction of the AKOBEN Programme. The study also revealed the quality of air at Anyinam to be acceptable with reference to PM10 and unhealthy with reference to total suspended particulate (TSP). The AKOBEN Programme failed to delineate TSP into oxides of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, methyl mercury and oxides of sulphur for which reason the impacts of greenhouse gases and methyl mercury on the Obuasi Municipality could not be investigated under the AKOBEN Programme. Mean arsenic concentrations for all study sites exceeded the arsenic reference for Ghana with significant differences existing between mean soil Cd and Hg levels at AKOBEN sites, Non-AKOBEN sites and Control sites. This study will not only elucidate the environmental and health problems associated with gold mining operations at AKOBEN and Non-AKOBEN sites in Ghana, but will also present complex water quality data into simple communication format for easy understanding to policy makers and non-expert audience.