Anyanfuri (C/R), Jan. 19, GNA - The Upper Denkyira District Chief Executive, Mr Richard Anane Adabor has appealed to AngloGold Ashanti to fulfil its promises of constructing a school, a market and the expansion of the existing market for the Anyanfuri Community in the Central Region.

He made the appeal when the Management of AngloGold Ashanti (Obuasi) presented 10 bicycles and 2,000 teak seedlings to the Anyanfuri Community under the Company's Anyanfuri Mine Decommissioning Project. Mr Adabor told the Community members, who were present at the ceremony at Anyanfuri, that the Assembly would always support programmes intended to benefit the majority of the people and advised them against self-seeking attitudes that would not be beneficial to the Community and the District in general.

The bicycles would be used by a 10-member vigilante group formed to protect the physical assets of the closed Anyanfuri Mine, which had been released to the Community while the seedlings are to help in the re-vegetation of the mine-out sites as well as the improvement of the general environment of the area.

Under the Decommissioning Project, AngloGold Ashanti has committed 5.4 million dollars into the rehabilitation of Anyanfuri to restore the concession into useful productive land before surrendering it to the Government and the original owners.

In 2003 the Company spent 732,000 dollars for the reclamation of the Anyanfuri Mine, which was closed down in 2000.

The rehabilitation programme involved the reclaiming of mined-out pits; re-vegetation of the disturbed areas and the implementation of alternative livelihood programmes such as construction of fishponds; grass cutter and snail farming.

The Mine Decommissioning Project is scheduled for completion within six years during which it would create sustainable alternative livelihood opportunities for the people in the area.

Mr Willie Kruger, the Workplace and Environment Manager of AngloGold Ashanti, said it was the duty of the Company to support the people in the area.

He said the presentation was not only an indication of the cooperation existing between the Upper Denkyira Assembly and AngloGold Ashanti, but also the beginning of the long walk with the Anyanfuri Community.

Mr Kruger stressed the need to maintain the assets, which included 30 houses; a club house with a swimming pool and offices.

The Workplace and Environmental Manager noted that the bicycles would bring comfort and efficiency into the job of the vigilante groups. Mrs Elaine Kwami, the AngloGold Ashanti Community Services Coordinator (West Africa), commended the vigilante group members for their sacrifices for the past two years.

She appealed to the community to accept the decommissioning of the mine with open heart, adding: "We want to maintain the marriage between AngloGold Ashanti and the Anyanfuri Community."

The Leader of the vigilante group, Mr Kenneth Addison commended the Company and Nana Afua Asantewaa, Anyanfurihemaa, for being supportive to the group.