Otumfuo commends Newmont Ghana

Kumasi, Oct. 13, GNA - The Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu 11, has commended Newmont Mining Company for putting in strategies to protect the environment and wildlife in its Ahafo operations area.

He also praised the company for establishing cordial relationships between the chiefs and people in the Kenyase area and urged them to continue to co-operate with the chiefs to initiate social responsibility programmes that will help improve the living conditions of the people. Otumfuo Osei Tutu gave the commendation at the Manhyia Palace when the management of Newmont paid a courtesy call on him on Thursday. He said a number of mining companies in the past operated without due regard to the environment and this resulted in an outbreak of preventable diseases and pollution of water bodies in their host communities.

This, the Asantehene said, raised tension and frequent confrontation between the youth and the companies and urged Newmont to let some of these bad incidents guide them in their operations in order to reduce conflicts and agitations in their areas of operation.

Otumfuo Osei Tutu also appealed to the company to employ and impart its operational technology to the Ghanaian employees to sustain them during the decommissioning of mine.

Mr. William M. Zisch, Vice President of African Operations, said the company had so far invested about 500 million dollars in the mining operations in the Ahafo area.

He said the company, which initially employed 1,500 workers would continue to offer employment opportunities to the youth in the area. The company donated 50 million cedis to the Serwaah Ampem Foundation to support its activities.