Newmont Ahafo Mine within the last two years has contributed $ 2.2 million dollars to the Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADF) for the development of Ahafo communities and its environs.
Other monies are ready to be transferred from the Company to the Development Foundation to be used in five cardinal areas of development including; human resources, infrastructure, social amenities, economic empowerment, cultural heritage and sports.
Dan V. Michaelsen, GM-ESR Newmont Ahafo
The General Manager Environment and Social Responsibility, Newmont Ghana Ahafo Mine, Mr Dan V. Michaelsen disclosed this at a press soiree organised for journalists in the Brong Ahafo Region.
Mr Michaelsen also noted that this year’s Apomasu festival of the chiefs and people of the Ntotroso traditional area in the Asutifi district was funded from the Cultural Heritage component of the fund with an amount of GH¢15,000
He reiterated the company’s commitment to developing communities where it operates.
“Newmont over the years as part of her social responsibility has undertaken several projects in the Ahafo communities,” he said.
He added that monies from the fund have been used in drilling and mechanizing boreholes.
“Some communities are also building toilet facilities; teachers’ quarters, classrooms and awarding of scholarship. The company in addition contributed to the completion of the Asutifi District Library where it contributed $30,000 dollars, it also refurbished a four-unit classroom block at the cost of $18,000 dollars,” Mr Michaelsen revealed.
He recounted that Newmont signed the Ahafo Social Responsibility Agreement two years ago, where $ 1 per ounce of gold mined in Ahafo, and 1 percent of annual profit had to be given to the development fund for the development of Ahafo Communities.
Mr Michaelsen also called for objective reportage on the part of journalists in the region to ensure circumspection.
“I look to a very productive year while also expecting to see a media that is very alive to its calling of providing fair, accurate balanced and objective reportage to society,” he maintained
STORY: FROM MICHAEL SARPONG MFUM, SUNYANI
