Gold Fields Ghana "Pumps" Ghc13 Million into Community Development

About two thousand (2,000) students from the sixteen host communities of Gold Fields Ghana Limited, have been beneficiaries of the Gold Fields Foundation Scholarship Scheme.

The Foundation which was established some sixteen years ago is not only to offer scholarships to needy but brilliant students in the operational areas of the company, but also serves as a financial pot for projects the company undertakes.

This was revealed by the Vice President, Stakeholder Relation, Gold Fields West Africa David Johnson in his speech, during the handing over ceremony of the projects at Huni-Valley in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality in the Western Region, after touring the facilities, Tuesday February 13, 2018.

Mr. David Johnson who was elated at the cordial relationship which exist between Gold Fields Ghana and its host communities said, the company is grateful to the continues quality of leadership the traditional and local government stakeholders exhibit towards Gold Fields Ghana Limited.

He said the Gold Fields Foundation was set up to show the company’s commitment towards the host communities

“Gold Fields Foundation was the first to be set up by a mining company in Ghana. That it was established by our mines to demonstrate our commitment towards the socio-economic growth and development of Ghana, with emphasis on our stakeholder communities” he said.

Mr. Johnson said, education remains the priority of the company for its host communities. This is because, that is the best legacy his outfit can leave for the communities as development of the human capital, hence out of the eight projects done in 2017 which they were been handed over on February 13, 2018, six of them were educational facilities.

On his part, the acting General Manager of Gold Fields Ghana, Damang Mine Augustine Wireko Asubonteng said, Gold Fields Ghana has been faithful to its host communities. This is because, even when things were bad for the company, it maintained its commitment to the development of the host communities.

“We all recall the hard times that the Damang Mine went through a couple of years back. Even though those economic hardships, of high cash flow negatives and losses, the Damang Mine still set funds aside for programmes such as the award of scholarships and provision of potable water to members of its host communities” he stated.

Mr. Wireko Asubonteng in his speech also pointed out that, it is no longer news when host communities hear Gold Fields Ghana is commissioning projects in its host communities, hence developing host communities is the hallmark of the mining firm.

He stated that “We have all come to expect this from the mine and are no longer surprised when we gather like this to hand over new projects”

He pledged the continuation of the company’s corperate social responsibility in its operational areas in the years ahead. He therefore advised the communities benefiting from the new projects to maintain them to serve the community years to come.

A representative from the Western Region Education Directorate Mr. Kweku Tuffuor Frimpong, commended Gold Fields Ghana Limited for their enormous investment they have so far made in education, just to see educational standards improve in the Prestea Huni-Valley and Tarkwa Nsuaem Municipalities.

Mr. Tuffuor Frimpong promised, the Ghana Education Service would make sure the educational facilities provided for them would be well maintained.

Goldfields Ghana Limited on Tuesday handed over 2017 completed projects to host communities at a cost of thirteen (13) million Ghana Cedis. They included a construction of five hundred thousand Ghana Cedi mineral laboratory for the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa, Two Hundred Thousand Ghana Cedi teachers’ accommodation at Koduakrom and a bedroom bungalow to the Tarkwa Municipal Directorate of Ghana Education Service.

The rest are Three-Classroom Early Childhood Development Centre at Huni-Valley, Akoon MA Primary and Junior High School in Tarkwa and a two eight-seater water closet facilities for Surbri and Bompieso. All in the operation areas of the company.

All the projects were managed and financed by Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, where a dollar is saved in the foundation’s coffers from every ounce of gold produced. It is also topped up with one percent (1%) of the mine’s pre-tax profit, creating a significant funding stream just for the development of host communities.

Since its formation some sixteen years ago, Gold Fields Ghana has spent over thirty-six (36) million Dollars in stakeholder communities both Tarkwa and Damang.

Umat Laboratory

Huni-Valley ECDC

Augustine Wireko Asubonteng, Acting GM, Damang mine