Rwanda National Police (RNP) has called upon miners to frequently conduct risk assessments as a measure to avoid accidents that could lead to loss of life. The call was made by the Eastern Region Police Spokesperson, Inspector of Police Emmanuel Kayigi, as he reacted to an incident where a quarry collapsed at the weekend, leaving one person trapped. The cassiterite quarry which belongs to a company called Dumac Limited, is based in Kigarama Cell in Nzige Sector, Rwamagana District. The trapped miner was identified by police as Jean Paul Maniraguha and efforts to rescue him were still ongoing by press time. Initially, three people were trapped but two were later rescued, police said.“The accident was caused by heavy rainfall that weakened the pillars of the quarry but this could have been avoided had the company conducted regular risk assessments, said Kayigi. He added that, “In conducting frequent risk assessments, miners should be looking at the possibility of environmental disasters that could cause accidents and put in place measures of avoiding loss of life.” He pointed out that it is necessary that concession owners operate in an environment-friendly manner to avoid accidents like landslides. “Having a license to mine doesn’t mean that you have free-reign to destroy the environment. You should be champions of environmental protection and always plant as many trees as possible around your quarries; that way, you will avoid unnecessary accidents. editorial@newtimes.co.rw
