AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has commissioned a teacher’s quarters for Abompuniso Basic school and an ultra-modern 300 capacity social centre for residents of Timber Road both in the Tarkwa-Nusaem Municipality of the Western Region.
Part of the social centre, which had an office and washroom, would be used as a Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) compound.
The projects, totalling GHS 1,114, 923 were funded by the AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Community Trust Fund.
Mr Isaac Boakye Aduenin, Acting Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, speaking at the commissioning, said residents of Timber Road usually held their meetings in a shed housing a mill provided by the Mine that threatened them, especially during the rainy season.
He said “we are happy that the social centre would not only promote good health but development and community participation”.
The Mine also decided to construct the two-unit two-bedroom and four-unit one-bedroom semi-detached teacher’s quarters to ease the accommodation challenges in Abompuniso Basic school, Mr Aduenin said.
He stressed that with the facility teachers would now report to school early and academic performance would be improved.
The Acting Managing Director stated that “Beyond what the Mine is doing, we have also established the AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Community Trust Fund, as our main vehicle for community development even after the life of the Mine. The work of the Trust Fund goes a long way to ensure community ownership of our projects and creates avenues for sustainable development”.
He said aside the projects, the Mine has rolled out aquaculture, vegetable and rice farms in Teberebie,
In addition, the Acting Managing Director said a piggery project had been established at New Mankessim, while at New Tokunaso they have set up a factory to produce soap, detergent and hand sanitizer, stressing that, all these projects were instituted to address the unemployment rate in their host communities.
He said the Mine has constructed a six-unit classroom block for the University of Mines and Technology, New Tokunaso and Awudua Basic schools which would be commissioned soon.
“Iduapriem Mine recently won the award for Excellence in Corporate Social Responsibility in Mining at the Ghana-West Africa Business Excellence Awards, and Local Content as well as Sustainable Procurement of the year award at the third Africa Procurement and Supply Chain award. We were also crowned the Mining Company of the year at the 6th edition of the Ghana Mining Industry awards” he indicated.
Mr Aduenin expressed the Mines appreciation to their host communities, government, employees, shareholders, suppliers and contractors for this success.
The Board Chairman of the Trust Fund, Professor Newton Amegbey, said since its inception in 2013, they have continued to support their host communities with projects aimed at increasing access to basic education, improving health, water and sanitation and other social amenities to make a positive difference in the communities.
He reminded the beneficiary communities that the facilities belonged to them, hence they must do their best to protect it.
Mr Benjamin Kessie, Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), of Tarkwa-Nsuaem, said as an Assembly they have attached importance to education within their new Medium Term Development Plan and hope to increase the number of teacher’s quarters within the municipality in order to retain more teachers.
He urged residents of Timber Road to take good care of the social centre and generate revenue from it to further develop the community.
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Mr Alex Kwaku Duah, Municipal Director of Education, said the teachers occupying the quarters have agreed to pay some money every month to make funds available for the maintenance of the facility.
He expressed his gratitude to the Mine for the support, adding that, they would ensure the facility was well maintained.
Nana Adarkwa Bediako III, Gyasehene of Apinto Divisional Council and Chief of Kotokyere lamented that with the huge taxes mining companies were paying to the government, the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Assembly should complement the efforts of the Mine.
