A delegation from AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (AGAG), one of the leading global mining companies, has paid a courtesy call on Mr. William Selassy Adjadogo, managing editor of the Business and Financial Times (B&FT).
The visit was to promote a deeper understanding of both organisations as well as explore areas of mutual interest and collaboration, among other things.
The AGAG delegation was led by Mrs. Juliet Manteaw-Kutin, Head of Legal and Corporate Affairs. She was accompanied by Mr. Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager in charge of Sustainability at the Obuasi Mine, and Ms. Keziah Enyan, Communications Specialist.
In her remarks, Mrs. Manteaw-Kutin expressed gratitude to the Business and Financial Times for its consistent, extensive and unbiased reportage on the mining industry and AngloGold Ashanti Ghana. She highlighted some of the many successes AngloGold Ashanti Ghana has chalked up in the areas of sustainability, corporate social responsibility, gender, diversity and inclusion, community development, local content and the economic development of Ghana.
“One of our flagship Corporate Social Responsibility projects is the Indoor Residual Spraying (IRS) programme conducted by our subsidiary AngloGold Ashanti Malaria Control (AGAMal) Limited, which was started in 2006. Fifteen years on, this programme has brought about a drastic decline of malaria-related cases in Obuasi and its environs. From a peak of over 6,000 cases recorded annually at the AGA Health Foundation to 66 confirmed cases in 2020, we can say this has been a success.”
She also commented on the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Community Trust Fund and the AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Community Trust Fund – both registered as legal entities in Ghana and contributing US$2 and US$1 respectively for every ounce of gold produced.
Mrs. Manteaw-Kutin added that the trust funds have contributed immensely to socio-economic development of the host communities and other communities in health, education, sanitation and other things.
She mentioned that gender, diversity and inclusion are important to AngloGold Ashanti. “Finding women in the mining industry is quite difficult, so we make a deliberate effort to create the opportunities for them and employ women in various mine units. The Obuasi Mine, for example, has moved from employing about 5% women to currently 12%.”
On achieving local content employment, she stated that the AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, which was adjudged the 2019 Mining Company of the Year at the 6th Edition of the Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA), has a fully Ghanaian workforce.
She further indicated that Ghanaian participation in the area of investment in AngloGold Ashanti Ghana has increased. Amax, a 60:40 joint venture between Perenti Global’s African Mining Services (AMS) and MAXMASS, a Ghanaian mining services company, has secured a five-year contract worth US$347.5m to provide mining services for the AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine at Tarkwa in the Western Region of Ghana.
Additionally, a five-year contract will see African Underground Mining Services (AUMS) team up with Rocksure International, a Ghanaian mining contractor, under a 70:30 joint venture in a contract valued at US$375million at the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine. The delegation from AGAG presented ten boxes of alcohol-based hand sanitisers manufactured by AngloGold Ashanti Ghana and a considerable number of flash drives to the B&FT.
On his part, Mr. Adjadogo commended AngloGold Ashanti Ghana for their commitment to inspiring and supporting legislation that ensures environmental sustainability in the mining sector, and making the mining sector a worthy contributor to the economy. He pledged the support of Business and Financial Times to more extensive and unbiased coverage.
Mr. Adjadogo on behalf of the Business and Financial Times thanked AngloGold Ashanti Ghana for the kind gesture shown them.
