加拿大礦業公司「柏格蘇金礦」（Bogosu Gold）成了非洲社區的「惡鄰居」！該公司位於非洲國家迦納西部、首都阿克拉（Accra）西方200公里的金礦場，兩年內二度從礦渣池溢出致命氰化物，流入鄰近社區唯一的一條溪流Ajoo，造成魚、蟹和龍蝦死，也毀了鄰近社區的飲用水源。
杜瑪西（Dumasi）村是受害的社區之一，村長柯奇（Nana Korchie）代表其村民表示：「我們已經受夠了這個問題鄰居。」現在，他們和鄰近社區村民聯合起來採取行動，要求全面查驗柏格蘇金礦公司的營運狀況。
氰化物的用途是用來提煉礦沙中的金礦。村長柯奇說，有些杜瑪西村民還不知道氰化物污染的事情，在溪裡捕獲了死魚死蟹，不疑有他便吃下肚，還有些住在Ajoo 溪附近的村人，也在不知情的情況下也喝了被氰化物污染的溪水。氰化物外洩，已危害到了杜瑪西村人和動物的生命，也傷害了環境。而這已經是該礦場兩年內第二度發生意外了。
負責開發礦場的公司名為Golden Star，總部設在美國科羅拉多州利特爾頓（Littleton），其母公司「柏格蘇金礦」則位於加拿大溫哥華。出問題的柏格蘇─普瑞斯提礦場（Bogosu/Prestea）為露天開採式礦場，90%的產權屬於這家公司，10%則屬於迦納政府。
多年來，杜瑪西村民所有的農地大多已被柏格蘇金礦公司接管，使得村民失去了謀生的工具，也造成失業率上升，並且加深鄰近社區的貧困狀況。柯奇說：「兄弟們，我們受夠了柏格蘇金礦公司了。 我們要求政府立即對這家公司的營運進行總稽查，包括這家公司侵犯人權、殘害社區環境的作為，全部要徹底查清楚！」
不過，柏格蘇金礦公司公共事務經理科迪歐（Adja Kodjo）在首都辦公室發表聲明，雖證實氰化物在6月16日外洩，但也辯稱對社區和環境的損害與危險已減到最小。科迪歐聲稱，他們一發現礦渣池滲漏沒多久就馬上就通知了。
科迪歐補充說，他們已把大量的過氧化氫等物質投入析中，已中和氰化物的毒性，「我們有自信已把污染控制住了」。他說公司已迅速尋求地區環保機構支援，官員視察現場後也對公司處理狀況滿意。
Residents of Dumasi and surrounding villages in Ghana's western region are demanding a total audit of all operations of the Canadian-owned mining company Bogosu Gold Ltd. The gold mines are located 200 kilometers (120 miles) west of the capital, Accra. Speaking on behalf of the people of Dumasi, Chief Nana Korchie said, "This is the moment to say enough is enough to our problematic neighbor."
For the second time in two years, cyanide from Bogosu Gold's new tailings dam washed into the Ajoo stream, the only stream left in the community. The deadly chemical killed fish, crabs and lobsters and polluted the stream, which is the source of drinking water for the Dumasi community and its environs.
Chief Korchie said some unsuspecting residents of Dumasi harvested the dead fish and crabs floating in the Ajoo stream and ate them before they had information about the cyanide spill. Some of the villagers along the Ajoo stream drank from the stream before they were told that the water was contaminated with cyanide, which is used to extract gold from ore.
This is the second time in less than two years that Bogosu Gold Ltd. has been responsible for a cyanide spill that has endangered lives and the environment at Dumasi.
The producing company is Golden Star, headquartered in Littleton, Colorado, but incorporated in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Golden Star's main properties are in Ghana where it owns 90 percent of the Bogosu/Prestea open-pit gold mine; 10 percent is owned by the Ghanaian government.
Over the years, large tracts of land belonging to the people of Dumasi have been taken over by Bogosu Gold, depriving farmers of Dumasi of their means of livelihood. The land takeovers have increased the unemployment rate in the town and deepened the poverty of the surrounding communities.
"My brother, we are fed up with Bogosu Gold Ltd. We are therefore calling on the government to immediately conduct a total audit of the operations of Bogosu Gold Ltd. This should include thorough investigations of all human rights abuses and environmental crimes committed by the company against communities in which it operates," Chief Korchie said.
In his Accra office, Magnus Adja Kodjo, public affairs manager of Bogosu Gold, confirmed the cyanide spill on June 16. However, he claims that the damage and dangers to the community and the environment were minimal. Kodjo claims that soon after the breach was detected, company officials informed members of the Dumasi community about the cyanide spill.
The stream was flushed with neutralizing chemicals such as hydrogen peroxide, Kodjo said, adding, "We are confident that the contamination has been substantially contained to the immediate area." He said the company was quick to enlist support of the district Environmental Protection Agency, whose officers inspected the site and expressed satisfaction with the way the company handled the situation.
