AGA’s 10-year Development Plan expected to develop Obuasi communities

The government has lauded the Management of AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine for rolling out a 10-year ‘Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP)’, designed to advance the good cause of the people.

The Plan, according to the company, represents the social investment strategy for the Mine for the period 2022 to 2031, and cuts across employment and job creation, gender and social inclusion, technology and innovation, environment, ownership and sustainability.

Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Ashanti Regional Minister, in an address at the launch of the initiative, at Obuasi, a mining community, advised the people to avail themselves of the varied programmes under the blueprint.

It was important for them to own the SEDP in order to achieve the vision of building resilient and socio-economically self-sustaining mining communities, he observed.

Under the objectives and scope, the company would support about 2,000 farmers to undertake self-sustaining agro-activities, especially in the area of forestry-oil palm plantation, cultivation and marketing of vegetables and cereals.

Other areas include establishing an aqua-culture project and the rearing and marketing of pigs.

The Plan further seeks to train and coach about 1,000 small-scale and medium enterprises, organisation of trade shows and entrepreneurial challenges with the intent to build the business acumen of the people.

On water, sanitation and hygiene, the SEDP has spelt out the construction of 12 community water systems and 10 public toilet facilities, the implementation of the ‘Keep Obuasi Clean Campaign’, as well as ‘Environmental Cleanliness Model School Programme’.

Under education, the Mine is seeking to distribute 500,000 copies of learning materials to basic schools, and construct 10 classroom blocks with libraries and information and communication technology installed.

Mr. Osei-Mensah said the Regional Security Council (REGSEC) was worried at the impunity with which some illegal small-scale miners (Galamseyers) had been encroaching on the AGA Obuasi Mine’s concession.

The development, he said, did not augur well for the sustenance of the Mine, and warned the invaders to desist from such practices.

According to the Regional Minister, who also chairs the Council, the “country has not forgotten so soon how the activities of ‘Galamseyers’ led to the collapse of the Mine some eight years ago.”

Mr. Richard Jordinson, the Senior Vice-President (SVP), Ghana and Tanzania Business Unit of the AGA, said the mining giant had, since the inception of the Obuasi Redevelopment Project, spent a substantial amount of money on various projects.

Out of this, 84 per cent being an amount of US$860.1 million had been expended in-country on Ghanaian companies, some of them being Obuasi-based businesses.

Mr. Eric Asubonteng, Managing Director, AGA Obuasi Mine, in an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA), on the sidelines of the SEDP launch, said the company would continue to liaise with stakeholders to facilitate socio-economic growth of the mining communities.

Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, the Senior Manager, Sustainability, at the AGA Obuasi Mine, took the dignitaries present at the ceremony through the framework of the SEDP.

In attendance were the South African High Commissioner to Ghana, Ms. Grace Jeanet Mason, as well as the Adansihene, Opagyakotwere Bonsra Afriyie II.

Source: GNA

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