GH¢2.3million multipurpose community centre built for Manso Nkran
GH¢2,318,209 million multipurpose community centre has been inaugurated for the chiefs and people of Manso Nkran in the Amansie South District in the Ashanti Region.
The fully furnished facility, funded and constructed by Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd, is expected to serve as a central hub for knowledge sharing, cultural exchange, community gatherings, training and development programmes.
An earlier needs assessment conducted in Manso Nkran, one of the host communities of the mining company, revealed the absence of a dedicated venue for social and cultural activities, compelling residents to rely on church buildings and school compounds for communal meetings and other events.
In line with the rich social traditions of the Asante people, where funerals, weddings, durbars and communal gatherings are integral to community life, the new facility provides a safe, accessible and inclusive space for learning, interaction and celebration.
The centre, which has also been provided with chairs and a public address system, will host youth programmes, skills training, wellness activities and cultural events, fostering stronger community bonds and supporting local development goals.
This investment, Asanko says, is part of its broader multi-sectoral corporate social responsibility (CSR) agenda, which includes construction of the Kwabenaso Primary School, a five-unit teachers’ bungalow at Asuadai and a 60-bed Esaase Hospital being executed through the Asanko SRF Development Foundation Fund.
The rest are community centres across host communities, the Asanko Scholarship Scheme (15 students already supported), an agro input support programme to boost food security and a soap-making livelihood initiative for women and youth empowerment.
Symbol of partnership
At a ceremony to inaugurate the project last Tuesday, the Executive Vice-President and Managing Director, Asanko Gold Ghana, said the building was a symbol of partnership, progress and shared effort to sustainable community development.
Front view of the multipurpose community centre at Manso Nkran
“This facility stands as proof of what we can achieve together when communities, traditional authorities and the private sector align toward a common vision of sustainable development.
“This multipurpose community centre forms part of Asanko’s wider social investment and community development programme, through which we continue to deliver real improvements in education, health, agriculture and infrastructure across our host communities,” he said.
He added that each of the projects executed stood as clear evidence of the company’s multi-million-dollar investment in improving lives and strengthening community infrastructure across host communities.
Despite challenges in the mining sector, he said, Asanko remained committed to responsible mining and creating lasting value for both its shareholders and host communities, recognising communities as true partners in progress.
He urged the leadership of Manso Nkran and the community at large to ensure the proper maintenance, protection and purposeful use of the centre, saying, “A building of this nature has the potential to serve generations to come, but only if it is well cared for, respected and preserved as a symbol of our collective achievement.”
The District Chief Executive (DCE), Benjamin Marfo, said the gesture by the mining firm demonstrated that true corporate leadership was not only measured in profits, but in how much impact one left on the lives of the people.
He said the district assembly, under his leadership, would continue to strengthen its partnership with the mining firms operating in the area, to ensure that development is inclusive, sustainable and people-centred.
Protect
While commending the company for the execution of the project, he charged the community members to jealously protect the building, use it wisely and ensure that it served generations yet unborn.
The Paramount Chief of the Manso Nkwanta Traditional Area, Nana BI-Kusi Appiah II, lauded Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd for the provision of the facility to address one of the needs of the community.
Further, he said: “I entreat you to extend similar support to communities within your operational areas to drive their progress.
The local community receives its share of development as a result of your operations.”
He urged the company to be ready to listen to the concerns of the residents of the host communities, saying: “I urge you to always dialogue with the people at all times to enhance your operations.”
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