Asanko Gold undertakes managerial reforms

Asanko Gold Ghana as part of the strategic operational mechanism to continue to play leading role in the Ghanaian and global mining industry has appointed a mining expert Mr Frederick Attakumah as Executive Vice President.

Mr Attakumah also assumes offices as the Managing Director of Asanko Gold Ghana with effect from July 1.

Mr Josephat Zvaipa, the former Managing Director, will continue to serve as Chairman of the Asanko Gold Mine Joint Venture Committee and is relocating to the Asanko Project Office in Johannesburg.

Asanko Gold Mine Company is committed to the highest standards for environmental management, social responsibility, and health and safety for its employees and its host communities.

A brief profile of Mr Attakumah obtained by Ghana News Agency in Accra states that the new Asanko Gold Executive Vice President has over 25 years’ experience in the mining industry.

Mr Attakumah has over the years held a number of senior management roles including Senior Vice President – Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Asanko Gold Ghana, Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti (Ghana), Vice President – Sustainability of AngloGold Ashanti’s operations in Ghana and General Manager – Engineering Services, among others.

The new Asanko Gold Executive Vice President has been a strong advocate for the positive role of the mining industry in the socio-economic development of African countries and the importance of a multi-stakeholder approach in realizing this vision.

He has contributed to various local and international panels, including the Mining Indaba, on this topic.

He was previously the first Vice President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines and concurrently served as a member of the Governing Council of the Private Enterprise Federation.

Mr Attakumah has also served as President of the Canada Ghana Chamber of Commerce (CGCC) during which period he led initiatives that resulted in establishment of strategic partnerships and deepening of private sector relations between Ghana and Canada.

He holds a B.Sc. (Hons) degree in Electrical & Electronic Engineering (KNUST, Ghana), a Master of Business Administration degree (Henley Business School, UK), and is an alumnus of the Wharton School’s Advanced Management Program (University of Pennsylvania, USA) as well as the Harvard Business School’s Creating Shared Value Program (Harvard University, USA).

Speaking on the appointment, Mr Greg McCunn, Chief Executive of Asanko Gold Incorporate, recounted the contribution of Mr Attakumah as Corporate Affairs and Sustainability at Asanko.

“Mr Attakumah has done a terrific job fostering strong relationships with our key stakeholders as well as developing our corporate social responsibility strategy and award-winning programmes, which are delivering tangible benefits and much needed social upliftment in the local communities surrounding our mine.

“As part of managing our Joint Venture with Gold Fields, we have decided to relocate our former Managing Director to our Project Office in Johannesburg, where he will continue in his role as Chairman of the Asanko Gold Mine Joint Venture Committee.”

The Asanko Gold Chief Executive also commended the former Managing Director for his enormous contribution in building Asanko Gold Ghana into one of the leading gold mines in Ghana, “for which we were recognised by our peers within Ghana with the Mining Company of the Year” Award in December 2018.”