GOPDC launches development fund for communities

Kwae (E/R), Aug. 25, GNA - The Ghana Oil Palm Development Company (GOPDC), is allocating one percent of its annual turnover to the communities whose lands form the company's concession. According to Mr J. C. Inkumsah, Managing Director of the company, 25 percent of the one percent turnover would go to the Chief and his elders while the remaining 75 percent goes into a development fund for the communities.

The GOPDC has, subsequently, signed an agreement with communities providing lands for its Okumaning plantation project to set up a social responsibility fund to cater for their socio-economic development. In furtherance of this, the GOPDC, on Tuesday, presented a cheque for GHC 12,000 to the Okumaning Traditional Council to enable it to manage its affairs.

Speaking at the presentation at Kwae, Mr Inkumsah said the company would each year assist the traditional council in accordance with the terms of the agreement. He said under the management and supervision of a development committee, constituted by the company, the Okumaning community and the Kwaebibirem District Assembly, GHC 47,000 has also been earmarked to finance a project proposed by the community. The cheque was received on behalf of the traditional council, by Nana Abena Kyeraa, the Queen of Okumaning. The Chief of Okumaning, Barima Adu Gyamfi, the third, thanked the company and said the gesture would help the traditional council tremendously.

The company's community relations Officer, Alhaji Bashir Manu, named the other communities to benefit from similar development package as Kusi and Takrowase. He later told the media that GOPDC had since its inception been contributing to the socio-economic development of the areas it had been operating. It has been providing diverse support towards education, health, roads, electricity and other aspects of community development. 25 Aug. 09