<\/p>\n
By Stephen Asante<\/p>\n
Kumasi, Sept. 18, GNA \u2013 A day\u2019s symposium to scale up stakeholders\u2019 interest in the implementation of the 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP), an initiative of the AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine, has been held in Kumasi.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The Plan, a social investment strategy for the Mine, spanning 2022-2031, intends to bring sustainable development and growth to the host communities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 The cross-cutting themes range from employment and job creation, technology, innovation, gender and social inclusion to ownership and sustainability.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mr Eric Asubonteng, the Managing Director, AGA Obuasi Mine, in an address, said the agenda was to create opportunities for the people to be empowered, thereby building a diversified and resilient local economy that does not necessarily depend on mining.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 He invited corporate organisations and stakeholders to come on board and partner with the mining company in the implementation of the key components of the project.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Such collaboration, he said, was vital in achieving the overall objectives of the Plan in all spheres of the people\u2019s lives \u2013 education, skills and infrastructural development, industrialisation, agriculture, entrepreneurship, sanitation and hygiene.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 According to the Managing Director, the mining company had over the years rolled out human-centred initiatives and various interventions to transform the lives of the people in line with its corporate social responsibilities.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Following the commencement of the Obuasi Redevelopment Plan in 2018, the Mine developed a Social Management Plan (SMP) to drive its social investment for the period 2019-2021.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 \u201cAs the SMP ended in 2021, consultations were carried out, culminating in a longer-term plan, keeping in mind the longer life of mine, and the need for continuity in sustaining community support and social license to operate,\u201d Mr Asubonteng observed.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Giving an outline of the SEDP, Mr Emmanuel Baidoo, Senior Manager in charge of Sustainability, AGA Obuasi Mine, indicated that its implementation was aligned with the business sustainability and performance of the company.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Consequently, the initiative had been built into the annual business plan of the Mine for budgeting purposes, he stated.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 Mr Joseph Asibi Bashir, Obuasi Municipal Planning Officer, gave the assurance that the decentralised departments would provide the needed support to realise the noble objectives of the SEDP.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
GNA\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n