Anglogold Ashanti denies claims of not developing Obuasi township

Some people of Obuasi claim that AngloGold Ashanti is not doing enough to improve the mining town, while the company’s management is mounting a resounding response.

Residents of Obuasi have often called for the corporation to play a significant role in tackling the unemployment issue in the area and have organized numerous rallies in recent years.

Some locals have invaded AngloGold’s concession and engaged in unlawful mining using the local unemployment problem as reason.

AngloGold’s sustainability manager, Emmanuel Baidoo, told journalists in Obuasi during a media tour of the business’s facilities that since operations resumed in 2019, the company has invested millions of dollars to address a number of issues.

“The hospital we constructed now serves as a referral hub. The majority of people who live in and around Obuasi use this facility. The most developed nations have the equipment. The hospital has more than 200 employees, and we have implemented numerous intervention initiatives that cost millions of dollars. We helped the Obuasi government hospital create a maternity block with cutting-edge technology between 2019 and 2020.

So, when AngloGold Ashanti is accused of being careless in the news, we occasionally think that the truth needs to be out. Even if we might not be able to meet all of our developmental needs, we don’t think we’ve acted irresponsibly. Since 2019, we have registered around 7,000 people with the National Health Insurance Scheme, and we have had an influence on over 12,000 community members, according to Mr. Baidoo.

He emphasized the many roles the company is playing in addressing the issues facing Obuasi and its surroundings and urged the locals to support them so they do not go under again.

Our readiness to participate in anything that will alter the narrative is essential. So we make sure the plan is implemented at all levels. As a business, we act responsibly. As a result of the workshop, we were able to define our objectives. The plans take into account community realities and needs in addition to the local development plan of the metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies (MMDCEs).

“We think that we must aggressively pursue our sustainability and growth strategy if we are to continue to be relevant to the socioeconomic development of Obuasi and its surroundings. This, in my opinion, is what Obuasi’s residents need. Therefore, if people permit us to halt activities, we will succeed. We won’t last much longer. That is not what I believe Ghana or the residents of Obuasi want. To rewrite the history and transform Obuasi into what we all desire, we need to be close to the people, he said.

Source: Mynewsghana.com