Four communities receive educational facilities
In spite of current challenges facing AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) which have led the company to redeploy a number of workers, the mining firm has kept faith with communities in its areas of operation. Using its Community Fund Trust, the company has put up four educational infrastructure projects for four communities in its areas of operation.
The four completed projects, which have been commissioned at Ayease, Nyamebekyere, Jimiso Kakraba and Ahansonyewodea, were altogether built at a cost of about GH¢600,000. The objective of putting up the structures is to improve access to quality education with the expectation of achieving enhanced learning outcomes.
Over the years, teachers posted to Ayease in particular have been reluctant to accept postings due to the bad nature of the road leading to the community and the lack of decent accommodation.
It was, therefore, a relief to the people when a three-unit two bedroom semi-detached teachers’ quarters was handed over to the community. The teachers’ quarters lies adjacent to the only primary school in the town, which has seven teachers.
The Nyamebekyere community has received a three-classroom block with an office and a store, while Jimoso Kakraba also has a new three-classroom block with a store. Ahansonyewodea now has a six-classroom primary and a rehabilitated three-classroom junior high school (JHS) block.
The Managing Director of AGA, Mr Fred Attakumah, said the company was currently engaging with its stakeholders, including communities where it operates, to garner support for a new mine.
“Our values on community welfare clearly state that wherever we operate the people should benefit from our presence. Today, we are focusing on education because it is the key to opportunities in a competitive world,” he told the beneficiary communities at separate durbars.
The AGA Obuasi Community Trust Fund was launched in September 2011 following agreement between AGA and the Government of Ghana. It started with a seed money of $2.5 million.
Since the inception of the fund, eight Toyota Hiace mini buses have been donated to selected public senior high schools, as well as 110 desktop computers to 22 selected JHSs in communities within the company’s operational areas in the Amansie Central District, Adansi South District and Obuasi Municipality.
Furthermore, the fund has built more than 12 schools in Obuasi alone and it is the main sponsor of AngloGold Ashanti’s annual Kwame Nkrumah Lectures which is organised in collaboration with the Institute of African Studies at that University of Ghana in Legon, Accra.
