By Elizabeth PUNSUi
Five projects in the health, education and manufacturing sectors, being undertaken by AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine (AGA), have reached various stages of completion, ranging from 45 percent to 90 percent.
The projects include a robotics centre, a Community-Based Health Planning and Services (CHPS) Compound with accommodation, a health centre with ancillary facilities, a theatre, a laboratory, maintenance of health facilities and a soap factory with ancillary facilities.
During a stakeholder visit led by Gender Superintendent for AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine, Mavis Nana Yaa Kyei, to the construction sites managed by local contractors, it was observed that most of the projects have not met their estimated completion timelines.
However, all contractors assured AGA management and the stakeholders to speed up work to ensure communities get to use these facilities for their intended purposes as soon as possible.
Health centre with ancillary facilities
Last year, AGA cut the sod for the construction of an ultra-modern health centre for the Dokyiwa/Binsere communities in the Obuasi Municipality to improve healthcare delivery in the area. The facility, estimated to cost over GH₵2.4million, was expected to be completed in eight months. However, during a visit by the AngloGold team, media and other stakeholders last week, the project was reported to be only 84 percent complete.
Once completed, the health centre will enhance the quality of healthcare delivery and overall well-being for residents of the two communities. It will provide a conducive environment for healthcare delivery, improve relationships between patients and healthcare providers and reduce the commuting distance for community members seeking medical care.
The centre will be equipped with modern medical equipment and highly skilled healthcare professionals, offering a range of services, including general medical consultations, ante-natal and post-natal care, a dispensary, in-patient care and laboratory facilities.
This facility will facilitate easier access to medical attention for residents, alleviating pressure on the main hospital in Obuasi. The contractor, Crisspan Company Ltd., expressed regret for the delays but promised to expedite work to ensure the facility is completed and handed over by the first quarter of 2026.
Laboratory and maintenance of health facility at Akrokerri
At the Akrokerri health centre, the facility expected to be completed by March of this year is currently less than 45 percent complete. This facility aims to provide a conducive environment for healthcare delivery and reduce the distance community members must travel to access health services in the central business district.
CHPS Compound with accommodation units
Located in Apitikooko, this facility is part of AGA’s Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP), which seeks to enhance the delivery and access to quality healthcare for the community. The project is currently over 62 percent complete but the contractor, Bodtech Company Ltd., is more than seven months behind schedule.
Robotics centre
In September 2023, AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine (AGA) broke ground for the construction of an ultra-modern robotics centre at the Obuasi Senior High Technical School in the Ashanti Region. The estimated cost of the project is about GH₵6million. Initially expected to be completed in eight months, the facility is now only 80 percent complete as of October.
The centre will serve as a hub for innovation and technological growth, providing students in Obuasi with resources and opportunities to expand their knowledge in Artificial Intelligence, particularly in robotics.
By equipping students with innovative resources, the robotics centre aims to inspire science-oriented schools within the municipality to establish robotics clubs that foster innovation. The centre will nurture the next generation of tech-savvy individuals, contributing to the socio-economic development of their communities.
Soap factory with ancillary facilities
This project, located in New Dokyiwa, was awarded to a local contractor, X-Mell Company Ltd. When the team visited the site, the project was 99 percent complete, with an expected completion date in December. The facility aims to improve the income of women in New Dokyiwa by providing a safe and well-equipped soap production facility.
