Residents Applaud Gold Fields For Road Projects

Some members of the Board of Trustees. INSET: One of the road projects under construction

 

Residents in the host communities of Gold Fields Ghana Limited have praised the company’s Foundation for funding two major legacy road projects in the communities.

The projects include the 2.26 kilometre (km) Budo City to Bogoso Junction road, which is estimated to cost $1.26 million. It is designed to improve traffic flow and expected to be completed this year; the 14.2km Samahu-Pepesa road, which will cost $5.3 million, is expected to be completed by the end of next year.

The residents thanked the Foundation for easing severe transportation difficulties as well as helping local farmers move produce to markets.

This came to light when the Board of Trustees of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation undertook a site visit to the two major legacy road projects within the Tarkwa-Nsuaem and Prestea-Huni Valley municipalities.

The Chief of Huniso of the Apinto Divisional Council, Nana Nvidah, expressed heartfelt gratitude to Gold Fields for addressing the previously deplorable state of the roads.

He said the initiative reaffirms Gold Fields’ commitment to sustainable development that will serve generations yet unborn.

He then recommended the renewal of Gold Fields’ mining lease for the company to continue its numerous development projects.

Later in an interview, Ken Ashigbey, Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber of Mines, called for the establishment of a Mineral Revenue Management Act.

He said, “Just as Ghana has a Petroleum Revenue Management Act, we should also have a Mineral Revenue Management Act which will ensure that government puts a portion of the mineral revenue into the Heritage and Stabilisation funds for the proper development of host mining communities.”

He reiterated his call for the mineral royalty receipts allocated directly to mining communities to be increased from the current eight per cent to 30 per cent.

According to him, the move will ensure that communities hosting mining operations derive tangible and equitable benefits from the country’s mineral wealth.

He also called on the residents to support Gold Fields’ development efforts, and added that if a mining company has a long lease, it could take long term investments in the various host mining communities.

Elliot Twum, Senior Vice President and Managing Director, Gold Fields Ghana Limited, noted that the mining company remains committed to driving socio-economic growth.

He explained that the Board members of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation used to sit at the office to assess and approve projects the Foundation present to them.

“But this time round, we want to visit the project sites to ascertain whether the projects we approve are really those going on at the various sites,” he noted.

He urged the contractors for the projects to do good jobs and called on the various beneficiary communities to also take good care of the projects.

Dr. Matthew Kofi Ayeh, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Prestea Huni Valley, stressed the profound impact of the projects and said they will drastically boost agricultural productivity for local farmers.

From Emmanuel Opoku, Tarkwa

 

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