Redirect resource from social amenities to building capacities - Obuasi MCE tells AngloGold
The Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi, Elijah Adansi Bonah, has suggested that AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) mining firm should redirects its resource from the provision of social amenities to building human capacities in its operational areas.
He said unless that was done, indigenes in such areas would remain disadvantaged in employment.
Occasion
Mr Bonah made the suggestion at Apitikooko, one of the suburbs of Obuasi, when AngloGold Ashanti handed over to the community a newly constructed 20-seater bio-gas water closet with ancillary facility at GH¢250,562.25.
The mining firm also inaugurated four other projects totalling GH¢437,687.25.
They are drilled and mechanised boreholes with concrete structures at Dadwen, Obuasi Secondary Technical school, Anyimadukrom and Kwabrafoso.
Training
The MCE said much as AngloGold had kept faith with the people in solving some of their basic needs through its Community Trust Fund, attention should be shifted to developing the human capacities for strategic training in engineering and other mining related capacities.
Women
Mr Bonah also called for investing in women to venture into capital intensive projects such as oil palm production and soap making.
Nana Bekoe
The Sustainability Manager of AGA, Nana Ampofo Bekoe, said the company intended to focus on other needs of the people “when production starts next year.”
From investing one per cent after tax of its profit into the fund, it has now been enhanced to two dollars on each ounce of gold produced.
About the fund
The fund was established in 2012 as per the stability agreement between AGA and the Government of Ghana.
The Trust Fund office, in living up to its mandates of supporting the long-term sustainable development of communities in which AGA operates, has been able to provide such facilities to the communities between June and now.
Aim
Nana Ampofo Bekoe said the projects were aimed at increasing access of people to improved water and toilet facilities.
"This is expected to contribute to the reduction of water and sanitation-related diseases such as diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid," he said.