President Akufo Addo Visits AGA Mine

The President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo has paid a visit to the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine. The visit is the President’s first to the Mine and the Obuasi Municipality since his re-election last December.

The President visited the underground portal and the ROM pad, which is the surface area upon which haulage trucks drive to deposit Ore onto the ROM Stockpiles.

Speaking to the media after the rounds, Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager Sustainability revealed that the visit gave the President the opportunity to inspect the activities of the Mine.

“One thing that was also critical was our plea to the President to help ensure protection of our remaining 30% concession” he said.

AngloGold Ashanti relinquished 60 percent of its concession in 2016 and is currently operating on 30 percent of the 475 km square concession with 3,830 workers employed by contractors of the company. The company itself directly employs 935 workers.

Emmanuel Baidoo further revealed that, the mine was supposed to have increased their production from 2000 tons per day to 4000 tons per day but they haven’t been able to achieve that due to COVID-19.

“COVID-19 restricted movement of people to and from the country and this affected the skills set we needed in the country.

It was estimated that, Obuasi will be mining at a rate of 2,000 tonnes of ore per day in 2020, progressing to 4,000 tons per day by year-end. For the first ten years, the mine will be producing gold at an average run-rate of 350,000oz – 400,000oz per year and above 400,000oz over the life of mine at all-in sustaining cost of around $800/oz.

The President also used the opportunity to cut the sod for the construction of the Obuasi Trauma Hospital.