Nineteen households at Awunakrom were filled with joy when Golden Star Wassa Limited (GSWL), a mining company, inaugurated a housing project for them at a new location at Pretiat.
The people of Awunakrom in the Ahanta West District, who were close to the Hwini Butre site, expressed gratitude to the GSWL and expressed the hope that the company fulfills other commitments to the community.
The facility has an in-built water closet toilet facility connected to centralized biogas digester and mechanized water system, a market and early childhood development center.
Mr Neale Laffin, Managing Director (MD) of the company, said the facility and others costing 3.8 million dollars were in fulfillment of an agreement signed with the community in 2012.
The agreement called for the relocation of settlements close to the mine and to provide infrastructure and economic projects.
In this regard, the company has provided a 300- seat community centre, 16-seat aqua privy toilet, mechanized water project, alternative livelihood projects and skills training for the community.
Other project such as a market, chief’s residence, toilet facility and football pitch would soon be executed, he said.
Mr Laffin said despite the fall in the price of gold, the company was still committed to honour its obligations to their stakeholders.
Mr Ebenezer K.T. Addo, Western Regional Minister, urged the company to ensure prompt execution of the other resettlement components to enable the people to settle comfortably and also derive maximum social and economic benefits from their mine operation.
He mentioned them as schools, health facilities, potable water, skills training, sustainable animal production and agro-processing.
The Minister urged the company to comply with the Mines and Mineral Act by adhering strictly to good environmental management practices.
Mr Addo appealed to the people to desist from illegal mining which has devastated the environment and to desist from any unwarranted agitations.
Source: GNA
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