Obuasi municipal assembly takes steps to regulate ...

...community information centers

The Obuasi Municipal Assembly has taken steps to check irregularities and abuse of people's right in the operations of Community Information Centers within the Municipality. This was revealed during the Third(3rd) Ordinary meeting of the First Session of the Sixth(6th) Assembly held at the Urban Council on Wednesday, 23rd March,2016.

The well attended meeting had Honorable Edward Ennin and Honorable Kwaku Kwarteng,both Members of Parliament for the Obuasi East and Obuasi West constituencies respectively all in attendance.

The Municipal Assembly has tasked the Information Services Department of Obuasi to fast track measures to ensure the closure of Information Centers within residential areas except for peripheral communities, lorry stations and market centers especially within the Central Business District. The I.S.D is to fine- tune sections of their proposed bye-laws regulating Information centers in the Municipality.

In his sessional address to the Assembly, the Municipal Chief Executive for Obuasi, Hon. Richard Ofori Agyeman Boadi said the Municipal Assembly has outlined 39 projects of which twenty three (23) of them have successfully been completed representing 58.9% ,whilst eleven (11) of the projects are still ongoing representing 28% ,two however,have been repackaged for re-award; Two(2) of the projects have been terminated and one(1) on a standstill. "Every effort is made for the rest of the projects to be completed and the one on standstill, revamped", Hon. Ofori Agyeman added.

On Social welfare issues,Hon Ofori Agyeman Boadi said Obuasi is a proud beneficiary of the Livelihood Empowerment Against Poverty (L.E.A.P) which is the Government of Ghana National Protection Strategy. He continued that a team from the Ministry of Gender, children and Social Protection was in the Assembly to rank additional communities and add more beneficiaries from other communities of the Assembly to the existing number. So far,he said, 848 households have been registered and are receiving money in every two weeks.

After further deliberations by the house, it was unanimously agreed that, issues surrunding the much talked about 'M.C.E Bungalow' should be referred to the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) for investigations. The house was advised to treat the matter with a lot of tact and diplomacy because of its sensitivity.

THE CURRENT STATE OF ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI, OBUASI MINE

A representative of Anglogold Ashanti (A.G.A) to the Assembly, Hon Nana Ampofo Bekoe seized the opportunity to brief the house on the urrent state of the Mining giant which he christened 'high level update'.

He assured the house that the company is still in operation contrary to news making rounds about the imminent closure of the Obuasi Mine.The Mine according to him is ranked among few Mines in the world with many reserves which can operate between 20-25 years and can successfully produce 4,000 ounces of gold a year for 25 years.

Hon. Ampofo Bekoe who is also the Sustainability Manager of Anglogold Ashanti said the company has decided to repackage itself to attract investors through its engagement with Environmental Protection Agency (E.P.A) and Government to come out with an Optimized Visibility Studies. He hailed the collaborative efforts between the Government and Anglogold Ashanti to make the Mine attractive for investors.

Going forward, Nana Ampofo opined;

.Anglogold Ashanti has now released 60% of their concessions to Government to be accessed by Small scale miners.

.Plans are far advanced to to handover the Engineering Training Center(Apprenticeship School) to an investor who wilk train engineers. This,he said, will provide jobs for the people in the Municipality.

.Due process are ongoing to handover the facilities at the former administration department of the Mine to begin the much anticipated Obuasi campus of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

A MESSAGE FROM ELECTRICITY COMPANY OF GHANA

Mr Michael Twum Barimah,General Manager,Customer services, Electricity of Ghana briefed the house on the new structure of ECG's management. He revealed that the cost of operation and a surge in illegal connection or illegal acquisition of meters has accounted for the recent upward adjustment in electricity tarrifs.

He said, presently, there are about 7000 illegally acquired meters in circulation in the Obuasi municipality alone. He advised for the acquisition of meters only from the offices of the Electricity Company of Ghana to enable the company sustain electricity supply.

Assembly members,Heads of Department and the Media were all present at the meeting.