The Executive Secretary of NEWMONT AHAFO Development Foundation (NADef) Elizabeth Opoku Darko has cautioned against misinformation concerning the social responsibility activities of the mining company.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday, 12 June 2023, she added that the company has been providing one Dollar per ounce of gold sold and 1 per cent of its annual net pre-tax profit into the fund for sustainable community development and has accrued GH¢136.1m since it was established in 2008 of which GH¢ 86.8m has been used for various development projects including human resources development of the affected communities.
She explained that out of the fund, 698 health professionals made up of 37 doctors, 22 pharmacists, 22, lab technicians, 538 nurses, 33 public health assistants, and 45 physician assistants from the beneficiary towns and villages have been trained and are working at different health facilities across the country.
Additionally, the fund was used to train field engineers. “So far we have trained 348 engineers including 23 mining engineers, 3 metallurgy, 69 mechanical engineers, 107 electrical engineers, 24 geometric, 13 civil, five architecture, 95 agriculturalists, and nine surveyors,” she said.
Madam Darko explained further the company and community leaders are in consultation with the University of Energy and Natural Resources (UENR) in Sunyani to help it acquire accreditation from the Ghana Tertiary Education Commission (GTEC) for the establishment of a campus at Kenyasi for the training of mine engineers from the communities.
Picture Caption: NADeF lecture halls and hostels at Kenyasi ready awaiting accreditation to start training of mine engineers
FROM Daniel Y Dayee, Ntotroso