<<Print>>

Goldfields Ghana Limited (Tarkwa Mines) has inaugurated 26 projects that the company has competed in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem-Prestea and Humi-Valley districts. The projects, which were initiated in the 2009 financial year, cost GH�2.8million and include the rehabilitation of the Ntakasu bridge, and the provision of ceilings and furniture for classrooms at Huniso. The others are the construction of refuse pad for Brahabobom, rehabilitation of community wells, provision of ICT centers for Goldfield School Complex, the Western Regional House of Chiefs guest house, construction of structures for micro enterprise groups at new Atuabo, Brahabobom and Akoon and Abekoase fish pond and farm project. With the completion of these projects, Goldfields has so far spent GH�15.2 million on community projects since the inception of the Goldfield Ghana Foundation in 2002. �It is our desire that living standards of the residents of these communities, our neighbours, will improve.� T he General Manager said that, as Goldfields played its role in sustainable development, it remained conscious that mining operations will one day come to an end. �Our new community development strategy is, therefore, to set up sustainable profit making businesses in our catchment areas to create employment and also serve as a legacy after the closure of the mine,� Mr Sehalkwyk said. The fish pond oil palm pilot project at Abekoase, he said had yield positive results and will, therefore, be replicated in other communities. The General Manager announced that, for the 2010 financial year the company would undertake the rehabilitation of the Tarkwa-Aboso Park, rehabilitation of the road from Awudua junction to Awudua, an oil palm project at Awudua, and the rehabilitation of wells in its catchment communities. He said that the fish ponds at Abekwase would soon being to export fish to Accra adding, �it can be done�. The Community Affairs and Public Relations Manager of Goldfields, Dr Steve Yirenkyi said that the Abekoase project had six ponds, five of them stocked with 5,000 fingerlings each while another one had a stock of 5,000 mud fishes. He said that there were 35 permanent workers working on the farm. The Western Regional Minister, Mr Paul Evans Aidoo, lauded the efforts of Goldfields for investing in the communities so as to improve upon their living standards. He appealed to other communities to emulate the �lasting legacy� of Goldfield so that they would avoid comments and upheavals that would undermine their operations. The chief of the Apinto traditional area, Nana Kwabena Angu, asked the communities to maintain the projects.