Obuasi has hosted the maiden West Africa Mine Rescue And Emergency Response Competition (WAMRERC). The five-day event which took place at Bruno Park in Obuasi from November 2 to 6 was under the theme,” Together Saving Lives Through Preparedness And Excellence.”
It was jointly organized by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine and Endeavour Mining of Burkina Faso. The event which focused on safety, emergency preparedness, technical rescue and co-operation among mining companies brought together specialist rescue teams from Ghana, Burkina Faso, Cote d’ Ivoire and Senegal.
Participating teams competed in fire fighting, rope rescue, casualty management and other emergency response exercises designed to reflect the dangers faced by mining operation.
Ing. Joe Steve Annan, Director of Occupational Safety and Health at AGA speaking to journalists said emergency response must not be reduced to first aid. He explained that the process begins with locating and rescuing a casualty before treatment and referral can take place.
According to him, a complete emergency response involves rescuing the casualty to safety, assessing the injuries, providing treatment and deciding whether the person should be sent to a hospital or emergency unit. Ing. Annan noted that rescue competitions help companies to identify weaknesses in their systems and improve their capabilities through regular practice.
“The more we exercise, the more prepared we become to respond to emergencies,” he stated.
At the end of the competition, Sanbrado Emergency Response Team from Burkina Faso was crowned the overall Best Performing Team.
AGA Geology team received the Safety Leadership Award, Safety Culture Award and Department of the Year Award. The successful hosting of (WAMRERC) 2026 has opened the way for greater collaboration among West African Mining Companies and created a platform for improving the regions ability to protect workers when emergencies occur.
From Frederick Danso Abeam, Obuasi
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