Mr Eric Asubonteng presenting documents of the vehicle to ACP Adjem of the Ashanti Regional Police Command
AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) has donated two brand new double-cabin pickups to the Obuasi Divisional and District Police Commands.
The gesture, according to AGA, is to support justice, peace and security in the area, particularly issues relating to illegal mining activities that go on in communities on its concession.
Managing Director of the company, Eric Asubonteng, who presented the vehicles on behalf of AGA, said the Toyota Hilux pickups cost the mining company GH¢400,000.
He stated that AGA had put together a social management plan meant to support the communities within which it operates for them to become self-sustaining.
“We do that by ensuring that we create opportunities for alternative livelihoods, build capacities of the institutions we work with, for example, the police through partnership and collaboration,” he indicated.
Mr. Asubonteng said the donation was part of the social management plan which management of the company thought through for some time.
“We arrived at the social management plan by aligning it with the Sustainable Development Goals of the UN as well as the medium-term plan of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly,” the AGA boss explained.
He disclosed that the social management plan was launched on May 28, 2019 to the company’s stakeholders at a town hall meeting attended by about 1,000 people in Obuasi, adding that the donation was just an implementation of something that had been in the pipeline for quite some time.
M. Asubonteng praised government for taking steps to clamp down on illegal mining activities, noting that the negative destruction that galamsey brings is not only unto the mining company, but the communities as well.
“We can talk about the water bodies that are being contaminated. We are working with various stakeholders not only the police, but the traditional leaders, community leaders, local government authorities to ensure that we create environment that is peaceful, conducive for the mining company and other businesses to operate.”
Deputy Ashanti Regional Police Commander, ACP David Agyeman Adjem, who received the vehicles on behalf of the police, expressed gratitude to AGA for the logistical support.
“This is not the only thing AGA has done for the police. Recently, you gave us 75 apartments in addition to computers and accessories. The police administration is very much appreciative of these kind gestures,” he indicated.
ACP Adjem stated that the vehicles would help the police to fight crime within and outside the Obuasi division, and asked for continuous support.
From Ernest Kofi Adu, Obuasi