Ghana's mining giant, AngloGold Ashanti has since 2019 invested a whopping amount of $4.6 million into the communities within the mine's catchment area.

This according to the Senior Manager of Sustainability, Emmanuel Baidoo is aside the $ 973,612 contributions the company has made to the Obuasi community trust fund.

Speaking at a media learning tour in Obuasi as part of the company's 10-year SEDP Engagement and communication strategy, Emmanuel Baidoo said the company has so far rolled out two development programs geared towards building a resilient and socio-economically self-sustaining community.

This he said included the 3-year Social Management Plan which was successfully implemented between 2019 to 2021 and the comprehensive 10-year Socio-Economic Development Plan launched in July 2022.

Given a breakdown of the company's investment and initiatives, he said 22% of their investment goes into local economic development, 21% goes into community health whiles 38% goes into social infrastructure with 20% investment going into education and training.

Community youth apprenticeship program

Emmanuel Baidoo, in an interview with the media, disclosed that AngloGold Ashanti's youth apprenticeship program has so far trained 230 youth. The training program the company has rolled out in collaboration with Macpartners Mining and construction limited seeks to equip beneficiaries with practical skills lacking in society, increasing their chances of getting decent jobs, especially in the mining industry.

He said AngloGold Ashanti has committed to training about 100 youth from their operational area under the program.

"We have a community-based engagement system where the youth from the communities are selected, taken through a competitive selection system and then admitted to undergo the training at no cost to them", he stated.

He added AngloGold Ashanti will absorb some of the graduates after the training whiles others will be well placed to find opportunities in other mining companies or open their own businesses.

82% of student enrolment at AGA school from host communities

Emmanuel Baidoo seized the opportunity to debunk some 'erroneous' assertions by a section of the media regarding the AGA school being the reserve of workers of the Mine.

He said the majority of the student population are children whose parents do not work with the man.

"Currently, 82% of the 3,354 student population at the AngloGold Ashanti school are from the host communities whiles the school has given employment to 220 people. Clearly, the school is not the preserve of AGA workers", he explained.