Joseph Boahen Aidoo– CEO of COCOBOD
The Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (NEWMONT) to rehabilitate and maintain the 41 kilometre stretch of road from Nkawkaw to New Abirem, in the Eastern Region.
The construction of the road forms part of COCOBOD’s Cocoa Roads Rehabilitation Programme under which hundreds of kilometres of roads in cocoa-producing areas have, this year, been identified for rehabilitation.
The Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Joseph Boahen Aidoo, signed the MoU on behalf of COCOBOD, as Francois Hardy, the Regional Senior Vice President of Newmont Golden Ridge, signed on behalf of the mining company.
The signing ceremony took place on Thursday, January 16, 2020.
Mr. Aidoo expressed excitement about the collaboration and urged other companies to follow in the steps of NEWMONT by collaborating to help improve the livelihoods of the people in the communities they operate in.
Mr Hardy on his part said NEWMONT was happy to collaborate with COCOBOD; a company which has gained a good reputation for supervising the construction of roads in many parts of the country over the years.
He added that they are eager to see the completion of the road project, which will bring a lot of relieve to the people within the catchment area of the mine.
This collaboration is premised on COCOBOD’s ongoing 10 year Concession Agreement with the Ministry of Roads and Highways acting on behalf of the Government of Ghana in respect of cocoa roads in Ghana, as well as, its mandate to improve the welfare of cocoa farmers in cocoa-producing areas.
NEWMONT, on the other hand, is collaborating with COCOBOD as part of its corporate social responsibilities towards the people of Nkawkaw and New Abirem, where it operates.
Under this collaboration, COCOBOD will be responsible for financing 14 kilometres out of the 41 kilometres, in total.
NEWMONT will finance the remaining 27 kilometres three kilometres of which have already been constructed).
The Ministry of Roads and Highways will provide technical supervision for the road project and a Joint Governance Team shall be responsible for managing the project. COCOBOD, however, will play a lead role and will be responsible for all procurement processes, the award of the contract as well as management of the project.
The maintenance of the road when completed will be the responsibility of COCOBOD since it has extensive knowledge and experience in managing road construction contracts through its Cocoa Roads Rehabilitation Programme.