New Abirim (E/R), Sept. 16, GNA - The Birim North District Assembly, some chiefs and the Engineering and Logistical Services limited (ELS), a private engineering company have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) at New Abirim for the construction of a 2.5-million-dollar stone quarry in the district.

The ELS will provide the needed machinery, while the Assembly and the chiefs will release land for the project to process the large quantity of rock deposit in the area into different kinds of chippings for constructional work by the Newmont Gold Limited and other private and public infrastructure developers.

Addressing a short ceremony to mark the invent on Friday, the District Chief Executive, Mr Emmanuel Nana Acquah-Frempong, said the establishment of the stone quarry would offer employment to the youth in the area to enhance their living standards, He said the signing of the MOU would also enhance the government's programme of public-private partnership towards the country's socio-economic development.

The DCE commended the chiefs in the district for releasing a track of land for the viable project to improve the revenue base of the assembly, since a five per cent of the annual profit would go to the assembly with the communities, who offered the lands benefiting two per cent.

The Executive Officer of ELS, Mr Kwame Serbeh-Yiadom, commended Newmont and other stakeholders for their understanding and co-operation towards the realisation of the project, where adequate funds had been secured for the installation and employment of personnel for its early take off.

He said the project would ensure environmental friendliness to promote the health needs of the people.

The MP for Abirem, Ms Esther Obeng Dapaah, said the architectural and engineering department of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) had chosen the district for its project site to undertake post-mining development study and to develop dams and other places into tourist attraction centres. She said jewellery companies would be established in the area to process some of the gold for export. The DCE, MP and the Chief of Afosu, Nana Kwadwo Amo II, signed on behalf of the Assembly, while the Executive Officer of ELS, Mr Kwame Serbeh Yiadom, signed for his company.