<<Print>>

Birim South Goldfields limited over the weekend commission its mining exploration ceremony to commence full mining operation at Akyem Abodom in the Kwabibirim District of the Eastern Region. The Managing Director of the Birim South Goldfields Limited, Nana Twum Debrah, welcoming the District Chief Executive and other invited guest to the company�s dam site where the washing of the minerals will take place, said unlike other mining companies who wash the gold mineral directly in the Birim River. This he said, the mining company has constructed three separate dams in which the gold mineral will be washed in without having anything to do with the Birim River which end up destroying it and making it difficult for others to use. Moreover, Birim South Goldfields Limited in collaboration with the District Assembly will upgrade the road network from Kade Township to the Akyem Abodom Township to make it motorable for other road users, he said. Nana Twum Debrah again noted that donations have been made to put up an ultra- modern Chief Palace in the community: the project is on-going. More so, for the first time in the history of the community, the mining company is in a dialog with some financial institution to open an agency in the community to start operating in the district, he mentioned. Beside that they are in constant communication with two network providers to come to the Akyem Abodom community to elect their mask to improve the network reception in the community. �Subsequently, the Management of Birim South Goldfields Limited is in a consultation with the Chief of Akyem Abodom, Barima Boadi Aboagye and his elders to construct, for the first time, a modern K.V.I.P for the benefit of the community�, he added. The Head of Corporate Affairs of Birim South Goldfields Limited, Mr. Solomon Kwaku Nuwordu, speaking at the exploration ceremony stated that as part of their Corporate Social Responsibility they have made provisions for the construction of streetlights, schools for the education of the youth, and a mechanized borehole to provide potable water in the Akyem Abodom community. This, he said, will be done in collaboration with the District Assembly. However, in order to improve the social economic development of the community, Mr. Solomon K. Nuwordu, stated that Birim South Goldfields Limited which will be commencing its full mining operation fully in September this year after securing other particulars needed to start work will create Employment Avenue for 60% of the youth in the community. �We will organize training courses for the youth in this community, to equip them with the technical know-how and the nitty-gritty of the mining industry�, he added. He further stated that the affected people in the community will also be given training in other businesses that will not make them handicapped forever but rather boost their economic livelihood. He again disclosed to the media that they have spent so far an amount of 5million dollars in the preparation of the mining activity and the company is expected to spent 10million dollars. On his part, the District Chief Executive of Kwabibirim District, Hon. Emmanuel Reginald Aboagye Osae expressed his excitement towards the introduction of Birim South Goldfields Limited in his district. According to him, their presence will improve the social economic development of the Akyem Abodom community and other communities around Akyem Abodom. To him, he said, has no problem with the registered mining companies but rather those who do otherwise like the galamsey operators. Hon. Emmanuel Osae, as part of his Assembly to ensure that Birim South Goldfields Limited is working under the shadow of the Regulatory ACT of the mining industry, said he will perform consistent checks on them personally. He also mentioned that the mining industry will also bring about the influx of people in the community thereby leading to some social vices. As a result, the provision of streetlight and the expansion of the police could deter recalcitrant criminals.