The General Manager of Asanko Gold Mine, Mr. Ahmed Mohadini-Yahaya, has assured that the Mine is committed to upholding best mining practices that minimize harm to the environment, respect human rights and benefit local communities.
Mr. Mohayidini-Yahaya said the operations of the Mine, at the three Satellite pits, namely Abore, Esaase and Nkran Pits, hinge on key elements of environmental protection, safety, transparency and inclusion for responsible and sustainable mining in its catchment areas.
According to him, responsible mining borders on safety as a culture to avoid fatalities through a rigorous safety procedures hence the Mine’s operations prioritize people, environmental stewardship and compliance as well as creating economic opportunities for local communities and stakeholders including the media through effective collaboration.
The General Manager said this at a meeting with selected editors and media practitioners in Kumasi recently.
The meeting, which was held to foster a healthy relationship, was under the theme: “Building responsible mining communications with media partners”.
He said about 99.8 per cent of the Mine’s workforce representing 3,234 were Ghanaians mainly drawn from the 35 host communities with about 2,709 contract jobs awarded to indigenes from the communities constituting the company’s catchment areas.
The Mine, according to the General Manager, expended a total of $24,663,559 on goods ($4,918,613) and services ($19,744,945) under a local Economic Participation for local Economic Growth in the Ashanti Region.
Mr. Mohayidini-Yahaya also announced that the company trains the local youth in the use of equipment as a means of creating employment avenues for the local people.
He also said the Mine complies with Transparency and accountability by openly reporting mining activities, revenues, and environmental impacts to the relevant bodies like the Minerals Commission, Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) and the Inspectorate Division.
Dr Daniel Twumasi, the Environmental Manager stressed the importance of environmental safety and sustainability in the company’s operations for which the Mine was converting its waste materials into fertiliser to reclaim the lands from its operations.
He said the company is not only focusing on growing trees under reclamation of mines areas, but also growing food crops with technical advice from the CSR-Crop Research Institute.
The Sustainability Manager, Dr. Isaac Kwabena Kwakye indicated that the Mine has priotitised education, health, community infrastructure, agriculture and livelihoods in its Corporate Social Responsibility under its Five-year Socio-Ecomomic Development Plan.
This is meant to support host communities through local and traditional authorities from the various Development Funds instituted to champion community development.
Dr. Kwakye announced that Asako Gold Mine had built new health facilities and CHPS compound and expanding existing ones.
He also said the company was expecting a 220 footer container of medical equipment for supply to 10 health facilities and that it had provided 16 mechanised boreholes for four communities as well as classroom blocks for some communities.
The Sustainability Manager called for media support to promote positive impact of the operations of the company and mining sector in the development of communities.
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