Newmont Ghana brief journalists on State of Akyem Project

Newmont Golden Ridge Limited (NGRL) on Thursday met with journalists in Koforidua in the Eastern Region to brief them on the progress of the Akyem Project.

The meeting was the third in a series of periodic progress briefings organised by the NGRL to ensure that stakeholders are well informed about the project and to enable them to contribute to the decision-making process.

The Akyem Project is located at New Abirem in the Region.

Mr Oduro-Kwarteng Marfo, External Affairs Manager of the Company, said the development of the project involved excavation of an open pit mine, construction of waste rock disposal facilities, a tailing storage facility and ore processing plant.

He said it also included water storage facility, water transmission pipeline, sediment control structures, division channels, haul and creation of access roads.

Mr Marfo indicated that the project compelled the relocation and resettlement of Yayaaso, a settlement in the area, eight hamlets and a number of individual homes.

He said a number of interventions were in place to compensate the 1,700 households who had lost their structures or farmlands.

“In the area of water and sanitation, there has been an expansion of small water systems at New Abirem and Ntronang and new (projects) for Adausena and Hweakwae,” he stated.

Mr Marfo said a livelihood programme development was in place to assist households in the area.

“The development of the Akyem Livelihood programme is based on a comprehensive approach to livelihood assistance requirement of each project-affected household and to address needs.”

He said a livelihood programme called the Agricultural Improvement and Land Access Programme was to facilitate and provide access to agricultural land for farmers as a result of mine activities and to increase the level of production as well as developing crop diversity.

He said a temporary hardship assistance programme dubbed “mobrowa” had been developed to target those households requiring additional support.

Mr Marfo said the company had supported the provision of household latrines and developed landfill site in addition to an improved water management system in the area. Boreholes have also been provided to the people.

He said the company had constructed a four-unit two bedroom nurses quarters for New Abirem Government Hospital and donated medical equipment to the facility.

Mr Marfo said NGRL had embarked on HIV and AIDS education and also exposing members of the Ghana Private Road Transport Union to road safety and defensive driving.

Other interventions rolled out ranged from school buildings to Information Communication Technology (ICT) centres to train the youth.

Source: GNA

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