By Patrick Ofoe Nudzi
Accra, Aug. 10, GNA – The Forestry Commission has engaged Asante Gold Chirano Ltd, an underground and open pit gold mine on signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) towards reforestation and investments plans.
The MoU, which has drawn discussion between the two entities, is to be signed a month later as part of processes of the Forestry Commission in engaging companies, especially mining companies to ensure that environmental impacts in these areas are reduced.
Mr John Allotey, Chief Executive Officer, Forestry Commission (FC), during the engagement said, activities for the reforestation and investments in the MoU to restore Ghana’s vegetative cover would take place within the Tano-Suraw area and Tano-Suraw Forest Reserve.
He said a team from the Forestry Commission had inspected the land reclamation programme being undertaken by the Asante Gold Chirano Ltd and the MoU would help set specific goals, timelines for inspection and create jobs for the youth.
“We are also insisting that they engage workers from the communities where they are working. It’s our expectation that they would engage with the chiefs and people of that area and also engage the youth in those communities on this reforestation programme,” Mr Allotey said.
He urged the company to provide scholarships for the people in the area, support their education and school buildings and help improve the local economy.
Mr Allotey also called on the District Assemblies to play active roles in the reforestation programme to ensure that any potential impact was reduced, adding that those working illegally in forest reserves should stop.
Asante Gold Chirano Ltd is a mining entity that does an underground and open pit gold mining since 2004 and currently has up to 1500 hectares of land within the Bibiani gold belt.
Mr Stephen Asante Yamoah, General Manager, Asante Gold Chirano Ltd, said they had collaborated with the Commission, identified and put in the right measures to ensure their impact had not been negative while contributing to the development of humanity.
He said there had not been a single community within their catchment area without the company’s footprint.
He said the company had taken on 12 students sponsored to undertake technical and vocational training in recent times.
“Just a month before, we have sponsored about 54 students within our catchment area for tertiary education. We have provided a lot of social amenities within our catchment area and we have impacted about 20 communities directly,” Mr Yamoah said.
He said out of the 1500 hectares of land leased to them, they had mined 203 hectares and had reclaimed 45 hectares of it.
GNA