Obuasi Mines still viable -Trevarthen

Obuasi, Aug 24, GNA - Mr Nigel Trevarthen, Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti said despite the over a century of mining at the AngloGold Ashanti Mines at Obuasi, the mines still have over 11 million ounces of gold reserves.

He said more than 10 million ounces representing 37.7 million tonnes of ore could be found underground, while the remaining one million ounces can be located on the surface and in the tailings.

Mr Trevarthen, briefing a fact-finding team comprising members of the Council of State, the Ghana Chamber of Mines and the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), who visited the mines, said "there is more life for mining in Obuasi for many more years to come".

The Council of State members Nana Prah Agyensaim VI and Dr K.A. Owusu-Ansah, Miss Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, and Brigadier-General Richardson Baiden, Commissioner of CEPS were in Obuasi as part of their tour of mining companies in the country to assess the environmental practices and the response to their social responsibilities of mines to the communities.

Mr Trevarthen said the Company had provided safety for workers and that had impacted positively on the company's operations.

He also said the company formulated effective human resource policies including training and retraining of workers, succession planning, appraisal systems to ensure that worker work harder.

Mr Trevarthen was installing a refrigeration plant to help improve upon temperature underground adding: "We have to protect the health and ensure the safety of our workforce".

He said an engineering apprenticeship programme was being put in place to retrain workers and impart employable skills to over 100 artisans yearly.

Mr Trevarthen appealed to the Government to create an enabling environment to enhance the company's operations by ensuring that the CEPS expedite action on the clearing of mining equipment to avoid delay of machines at the ports.

Miss Aryee said the Government would promote other economic activities to create more jobs for the people in the Obuasi area. Mr Y.B. Amponsah, the Human Resource and Management Services Manager, conducted the team round the Len Clay Stadium and the Bideim community, which were built by the company.