Accra, April 30, GNA - Newmont Ghana Gold Limited invested about 14.= 6 million dollars in 99 micro, small and medium scale enterprises in Ahafo between 2007 and 2009, Mr George Brakoh, Local Suppliers and Contract Development Manager of the company said on Friday.

He said the amount was spent to pay local businesses including cater= ing services, construction workers, who were contracted to do building maintenance and on training of Small and Medium Scale entrepreneurs in th= e Ahafo area.

Mr Brakoh explained that the move by Newmont to involve local businesses in their work aimed at creating sustainable livelihoods by supporting the development of local businesses to access contracts in oth= er sectors of the economy.

At a meeting with Journalists in Accra, Mr Brakoh further explained that the programme to support local businesses is dubbed "Ahafo Linkages Programme," that has the objective of integrating local content in their operations to achieve sustainable development. Integrating local content in their operations means that the organization makes use of locally manufactured products that is needed in=

their mining operations to help build and sustain local businesses in the=

area. Mr Brakoh announced that the Ahafo Linkages Programme has recently b= een recognized by the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply in the Uni= ted Kingdom at their 2010 Annual Procurement Awards.

Newmont Ghana won three out of a total of eight awards, which were t= he Best Supplier Diversity Project, Best Procurement Community Award and the=

Best Procurement Male Professional of the Year Award, which went to Mr Brakoh. He said Newmont also encouraged what he termed "market diversificatio= n," where the local businesses trained, were encouraged to do businesses with=

other organizations apart from the mine so that when the mine was no long= er operational, the businesses would continue to exist. Mr Brakoh said the businesses under the Ahafo Linkages Programme were=

able to access nine million Ghana cedis from other clients apart from Newmont. Mr Evans Koffy, Manager, Abanco Company Limited, a beneficiary of the=

training programme by Newmont and a producer of burnt brick at Tanoso sai= d, through the programme he had been able to expand his operations. He said: "Before I was selected for the training programme, I did not=

even have a bank account, my business was not registered and I was doing things anyhow, but now my business is legalized.

"I have registered with the Registrar General's Department and even though I do not produce directly for Newmont, I benefit a lot," he said. Mr Alex Boampong, Chief Executive Officer of Alexiboam Company Limite= d, a Chain Saw Operator, who suppliers to Newmont, said he had been able to expand his operations now employing over 300 workers. He said the skills he acquired through Newmont had also earned him th= e abilities to trade with other organizations and mentioned that he had recently signed a contract with a South African company. "I am also supplying District Assemblies," he said expressing thanks= to Newmont.