Mr Elijah Adansi Bonah
Anglogold Ashanti has handed over to the Apitikooko community in Obuasi, a newly constructed 20-seater bio gas water closet toilet 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 structure each at Dadwen, Obuasi Secondary Technical School, Anyimadukrom and Kwabrafoso.
The Municipal Chief Executive of Obuasi, Elijah Adansi Bonah speaking at the ceremony, suggested that AngloGold Ashanti should redirect its resource from the provision of social amenities to building human capacities in its catchment areas.
He was of the view that, unless that was done, indigenes in such areas would remain disadvantaged in employment.
The MCE said much as AngloGold has 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 especially strategic training in engineering and other mining related capacities.
Mr Bonah also called for investing in women to venture into capital intensive projects like oil palm production and soap making.
The Sustainability Manager of the mining company, Nana Ampofo Bekoe, said the company intends 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.
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.
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 like diarrhoea, cholera and typhoid,” he said.
FROM KINGSLEY E.HOPE, OBUASI
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