Mwanawasa Salutes Anglogold Ashanti

Mwanawasa Salutes Anglogold Ashanti

Accra Mail (Accra)

May 20, 2005

Zambian President Mr Levy Patrick Mwanawasa has commended the progressive improvements of the health and safety record of Anglogold Ashanti - Obuasi Mine.

The president was also impressed with the social investment record of the company and efforts it was making not only to battle poverty but also to improve living standards at both community and national levels in the country.

President Mwanawasa made these observations when he visited the Obuasi Mine as part of his five-day official visit to Ghana.

Accompanied by a 14-man delegation, including Lt General R. Shikapwasha, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Mr Kaunda Lembalenbu, Minister of Mines - Mr Mwanawasa noted that "as an underground operation, your progressive improvement of your health and safety record year after year is worthy of emulation by other companies, operating in Africa".

He urged the management and employees "to keep it up". Touching on the Corporate Social Responsibility, President Mwanawasa was very much impressed with the array of projects put up by AngloGold Ashanti for the communities and the country as a whole.

"You have done well in the provision of roads, schools, clinics and other social amenities for the people. For the people to appreciate your presence in the community". Overwhelmed with the scale of the Obuasi operation, President Mwanawasa also commended the professionalism of the workforce he met at the environmentally-friendly Sulphide Treatment Plant, the plant which has made Obuasi the technological hub for the use of bacteria in the treatment of ore.

On his part, Ghanaian Vice President Alhaji Aliu Mahama, who headed the government delegation, which accompanied the Zambian president, also commended AngloGold Ashanti for its contribution to the economy of Ghana in terms of employement and foreign exchange.

He urged mining companies in the country to work hand in hand with the local assemblies in the initiation and implementation of development projects to ensure maximum impact on the people.

Contributing, Minister of Mines Professor Dominic Fobih spoke about efforts by the government to legislate a new mining code to regulate the country's mining industry, and called for meaningful collaboration between the government, mining companies and the civil society.

In an earlier presentation, Mr Daniel Spies, managing director of the Obuasi Mine, noted that plans were underway to intensify exploration in the underground to assess the exact wealth of reserves in Obuasi.

Mr Spies noted that Ghana has lots of talents in mining and to sharpen these talents, the company is intensifying education and development in all sectors of the mine to enable it become more competitive.

Mr Spies said as part of the company's social investment, the mine would soon embark on anti-material programme in Obuasi to reduce the incidence of malaria in the municipality.

The programme, he said, would be extended to other parts of the country after the Obuasi phase.