Obuasi (Ash)-Ghana, Dec.12, GNA – The AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Community Trust Fund (AGA- OCTF) has commissioned education and water projects in five communities in line with the objective for its establishment.
The projects included fully furnished two-unit Kindergarten blocks at Dokyiwaa and Binsere in the Obuasi Municipality and mechanized boreholes for New Bidiem and Baakoyeden in Obuasi and Wioso in the Adansi North district.
The AGA Trust Fund was launched in 2012 as part of the stability agreement between AngloGold Ashanti, Obuasi Mine, and the Government of Ghana.
As part of the revised agreement in 2018, the Mine pledged to contribute USD2/Oz of gold produced into the Trust Fund.
The newly commissioned two -unit KG blocks, which cost GH¢1,076,239.28, have two fully furnished classrooms with tables and chairs for both pupils and teachers, one multipurpose hall, an office for the headmaster, a kitchen and store room, separate washroom facilities for both male and female pupils and staff and a mechanized borehole to ensure constant supply of water.
The mechanized boreholes for the three communities with overhead concrete stands were also sunk at a cost GH 210,494.23.
Nana Boakye Yiadom II, a Board Member of the Fund, at a short ceremony to commission the projects at Dokyiwa, said the Trust Fund decided to invest in the construction of the Kindergarten blocks because it believed in how critical education at the foundation level was.
“The Fund is aware of how crucial kindergarten education is in the educational development of children hence we decided to construct the two blocks for Binsere and Dokyiwaa to have more of the children in school at that level.
He appealed to the beneficiary communities and the schools to protect and maintain the facilities to stand the test of time.
Mr. Elijah Adansi-Bonah, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Obuasi who doubles as the Chairman of the Steering Committee of the Fund proposed investment in areas that could create more jobs for the people of Obuasi.
He was convinced that returns in creating jobs for the people could be reinvested into the Fund.
The MCE further appealed to the people of Obuasi to support AngloGold Ashanti to enable them produce optimally, maximise profit to pay more into the Trust fund.
Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, the Senior Manager Sustainability, AngloGold Ashanti, said the company had so far deposited an amount of GH6.6 million into the Fund in fulfilment of the agreement it had with the Government of Ghana.
He also spoke about the company’s plans towards educational development in Obuasi as captured in their 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan.
Nana Afia Afrifa Tokudwom III, Queenmother of Dompoase Traditional area lauded the Trust Fund for investing heavily into education since its establishment about a decade ago.
She called on parents to prioritize their wards’ education by investing in them.
Mr George Alfred Koomson, Obuasi Municipal Director of Education said research had shown that the school’s environment had a role to play in the development of the child and praised the AngloGold Ashanti for setting aside the Fund for such investments.
