The South African high commissioner to Ghana, Ms. Lulama Xingwana, payed a courtesy visit to Obuasi on a tour at the AGA Obuasi Mine.
The two day tour was mainly focused on the Mine’s holding assets under the Sustainability Development Units (SDUs). This is a holding unit operated by the mine with the solemn aim of making the lives of the resident communities in which the mine is located better-of.
THE MINE
Day one of the commissioner’s tour happened within the entrants of the Gold mine. These including the Mine Processing Plants, the deep decline–thus the underground mine and other heavy duty equipment facilities.
The commissioner bemoaned that illegal miners have been the major threats on the mine, imploring that all strict security measures should be highly enforced to curb the “galamsey” brouhaha.
It is accounted that so far, over 500 holes dug by the galamsey operators have been sealed, and Operations are still in place to completely restore the mine.
THE HOSPITAL
Having all the advance equipment in operation, the hospital serves as a centre for treating Patients over 90 percent admitted from the community. The hospital has been noted for its great professionalism in health services due to the good working staff and management in administration.
Mr. Ampofo Bekoe–Sustainability manager explained that millions of dollars worth of investment have been put into the development of the hospital therefore having high-grade clinical departments including the X-ray department, Theatre, Maternity and others. This has contributed massively to the hospital’s credibility notably known as one of the best hospitals in ASHANTI region, the Second best actually.
AGAMal
The commissioner was pleased meeting scientists working at the AGA malaria control unit in service of researching into potent drugs able to fight the rampage of mosquitoes, as well as preparing insecticides able to sweep off the spread of malaria caused by mosquitoes. The Malaria programme now offer services beyond Obuasi to extent regions including Wa. Since the inception of the programme in 2005, the rate of malaria cases reported at Wa has drastically been reduced from 60 percent to 10 percent. Over 7000+ overrated cases of malaria reported in Obuasi have now been underrated to about 200.
AGA SCHOOL
Both the school and the hospital are now catering majorly for the Obuasi community and not just for the Staff of the Company. 80-90percent of patients treated at the hospital, as well as admission into the school are from the community. This shows the sustainable impact AGA is having in the lives of the Obuasi community and it’s outskirts.
AGA AIRPORT
The airport was also assessed by the commissioner on her tour which welcomed her with beautiful stock of facilities hoping that the revamp of the mine’s operations will effect it to be open and accessible to the Obuasi community.
The commissioner ended her tour by finally addressing that the company should serve as a model to all other mining companies in Ghana to also contribute to the sustainable growth of the nation’s socio-economic development.
