Newmont has transferred more than three million Ghana cedis into the accounts of the Newmont Akyem Development Foundation (NAkDef) as part of the amount accumulated as of August ending this year.
This follows the signing of the Foundation Agreement with the communities.
Mr Oduro-Kwarteng Marfo, Communication and External Relations Manager, Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, Akyem Mine , announced this at an end of year media soiree for Eastern Regional, in Koforidua.
Mr Marfo said that money had been invested in an Ecobank EDC interest yielding investment for six months, while Newmont had committed to contributing one US dollar of every ounce of gold produced plus one percent of profit before tax into the account.
Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, (Akyem Mine), he said, had achieved a production target of 500,000 ounces of gold since its commencement of commercial production in October 2013.
It has also been adjudged the ?First Best Safe Mine in Ghana for 2014 by the Minerals Commission and the Ghana Chamber of Mines, following a Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) audit in October this year.
Mr Marfo said the company had not reneged on its commitment to support the Birim North District Assembly in the infrastructural development of the communities in which it was operating.
?Key infrastructural projects in the area of health, education, water and sanitation, safety and security were either initiated or completed this year,? he said.
He said the construction of a 2.5 kilometre stretch of road from the Newmont main entrance to the district assembly junction at New Abirem was currently underway at a cost of $2.5 million.
?Our Environment Management activities are also on course and this year, the Akyem Mine underwent the International Cyanide Code Certification audit,? he stated.
He said currently the Akyem Mine was awaiting the results and was hopeful to get a Green Rating, which would prove that the Akyem Mine was fully compliant with International Cyanide Management Best Practices and Standards?.
Mr Marfo announced that the phase one of the forest cover replacement programme, which involved the planting of 60 hectares of land, by a group of local contractors, under the supervision of the Forest Services Division, was progressing.
He also announced the graduation of the first 30 apprentices from the company?s Apprenticeship Training Programme, in December.
?The 30, who are all from the mine area communities, have completed a four-year training programme in Mine Maintenance and were awarded with a City and Guilds London Certificate and a Newmont Ghana Certificate of Competence?.
Mr Marfo said Newmont spent about US$25,000 on each apprentice throughout the four year training period.
GNA
