AngloGold moves to enhance sanitation at Anyinam
Anglogold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine is scaling up measures to improve sanitation in its operational communities.
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The company said it placed premium on the health of the people and would continue to invest in projects and programmes that would enhance sanitation.
In line with the promise, a public water closet facility built by the company at a cost of GH¢200,000 at Anyinam, near Obuasi, has been handed over to the community.
The facility has a bio-digester and a water reservoir.
Open defecation
Anyinam is a rural community that has been struggling to solve one of the country’s greatest challenges — open defecation.
With a population of more than 2,000, the community had only one public latrine but owing to the pressure on the facility and lack of maintenance, it collapsed about a year ago.
To combat open defecation and its associated disease transmission and other risks, the chiefs and people of the community appealed to AGA Obuasi Mine to assist in constructing a public toilet for them.
Positive response
The company responded positively and a 20-seater toilet facility has been handed over to the community.
The project was also in line with the company’s objective of ensuring an open defecation-free environment in its operational areas.
Ghana has a major challenge with open defecation and it ranked an unenviable second position after Sudan in the practice in Africa.
Nineteen per cent of the national population engage in open defecation
Sustainable development
The AGA saw the opening of the facility as a step to meeting Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Six which is to ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all.
Speaking at the handover ceremony at Anyinam, the Sustainability Manager of AGA, Obuasi Mine, Nana Ampofo Bekoe, said the facility was expected to serve over 2,000 residents of Anyinam and even beyond.
He said the project was as a result of needs assessment by the AGA to support living conditions of the people in the area.
Nana Bekoe said it, therefore, became necessary to use part of proceeds from the company’s Community Trust Fund to construct the facility.
He was joined by the Chief of Anyinam, Nana Kofi Tawiah, to hand over the keys to the facility to the Waste and Sanitation Committee of Anyinam which would manage it.
Nana Bekoe charged the committee to ensure the proper maintenance of the facility.
The assembly member for the Anyinam Electoral Area, Mr Collins A. Appiah, on behalf of the chief and the community, expressed gratitude to AGA for the gesture.
The Benkumhene of Odumase, Nana Kwamoa Bosompem II, cut the tape to open the facility.