Accra, Nov. 7 GNA - Mining companies must establish good relationships with communities in their areas of operation if they were to succeed, the outgoing Managing Director of Goldfields Ghana Limited, Mr Richard Graeme has advised.

Mr Graeme, who was speaking at a send-off party organised for him at the end of his four-year tenure, said establishing good relationship with the people on whose land mining companies operated was very important for their mutual benefit.

He said during his tenure of office he secured two billon cedis for the re-settling of the residents of New Atoabo, a mining village near Tarkwa in the Western Region with the support of the Western Regional Security Council.

Mr Graeme was so much concerned about the development of the community and as such he assisted them to establish projects in the health and education sectors.

Mr Joseph Boahen Aidoo, Western Regional Minister, who was the guest speaker, said establishing good social relationship was very important in any business transaction to ensue that the workers contributed to the mutual well being of their community and the company.

Mr Brendan Walker takes over as the Managing Director (MD) of the company while Mr Graeme moves to the International Operations of Goldfields, which has seven branches in the world, with two in Ghana - Tarkwa and Abosso GoldFields all in the Western Region.