General Manager (GM) of Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (Akyem Mine), Joep Coenon, has stated that the company was committed to serving as a catalyst for local economic development and responsible stewards of the environment within the catchment areas that it operates.
“It is important to note that our Newmont Akyem Development Foundation (NAkDeF) serves as the vehicle for advancing our social responsibility activities in the mine area communities. For this a lot has been achieved,” he said.
The GM of Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (Akyem Mine) made this disclosure during the end-of-year media soiree for Eastern regional media in Koforidua last December.
According to him, 2017 has been a successful year for the Akyem Mine. The company, he disclosed, has achieved a number of significant milestones, notably among being adjudged the Number One Company in Ghana by the Ghana Investment Promotion Council (GIPC) under the Ghana Club 100 Awards.
This therefore makes it the second year running that the Akyem Mine has topped the prestigious business award in the country.
The Minerals Commission of Ghana also adjudged the Akyem Mine as the 2nd Best Safe Mine after its recent inter-mines Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) audit assessing HSE systems, leadership and behaviours of mines across the country. Also the second time running the mine has placed second in the audit among others, he noted.
Joep Coenon also indicated that as part of their social responsibility since the establishment of the Newmont Akyem Development Foundation (NAkDeF) in June 2014, there had been a successful implementation of a number of social intervention initiatives and physical infrastructural projects to improve the lives of the Akyem Mine host communities.
He cited, for example, that the NAkDeF Scholarship Scheme has up-to- date benefitted about 1720 community members in tertiary institutions including vocational and senior high schools.
“In order words the scholarship programme supports brilliant and needy students within the Akyem Mine communities,” he added.
He went on to add that NAkDeF has launched a partnership programme with GIZ, a German development agency, to construct a vocational training institute at Akyem Amanfrom, a Newmont resettlement town, to equip the community members with employable technical skills for their economic employment.
Therefore, going forward a Cooperative Credit Union will be established for the community members to gain access to capital for startups to support their local community businesses under the partnership agreement with GIZ.
However, all these activities will be facilitated with the contribution of the one dollar an ounce of gold sold and one per cent of annual net profit made to the foundation by Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (Akyem Mine) he indicated.
He thanked all the host communities, other stakeholders and the media partners for their continuous support for the Akyem Mine and hope for a collaborative partnership in the years to come.
Story: Business Desk