By Dennis Peprah
Afrisipakrom, (A/R), Oct. 3, GNA-Newmont Ahafo Development Foundation (NADeF), has inaugurated six-unit classroom block constructed at the cost of GH¢925,899 for the Afrisipakrom Roman Catholic Basic School in the Tano North Municipality of the Ahafo Region.
NADeF is the main driver of Newmont Ghana’s sustainable Corporate Social Responsibility to the 10 Ahafo communities within which the company operates namely Kenyasi number One, Kenyasi number two, Wamahinso, Gyedu and Ntotroso in the Asutifi North District.
Others are Yamfo, Susuanso, Afrisipakrom, Techire and Adrobaa in the Tano North Municipality of the region.
The fully furnished block contained 40-seater classrooms, head teacher’s office, staff common room and a standard library.
Speaking at a short ceremony held at the school’s premises at Afrisipakrom, a mining community, Professor Yaw Ofosu Kusi, the Board Chair, NADeF, explained since its establishment in 2008, the foundation had been funded with proceeds from Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo mine.
The foundation collaborates with beneficiary communities, local government and Departments of the Tano North and Asutifi South, and some civil societies, development, and experts to bring about sustainable community development within the mine’s operation areas.
Prof. Ofosu said the foundation’s areas of support covered human resource development, economic empowerment, infrastructure, and social amenities development as well as natural resources management, cultural heritage, sports, and youth development.
These programmes are aligned with the United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the goal four in particular of ensuring inclusive and equitable education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all, while focusing on specific community needs, he explained.
He said the foundation had also built a-five-unit teacher’s quarters, a palace as well as community library and extended electricity to portions of the Afrisipakrom community and re-roofed the RC Junior High School block.
Mr Peter Aadi, the Headmaster of the school, expressed appreciation to the foundation and Newmont Ghana for the facility which would facilitate effective teaching and learning.
He said the school needed toilets for teachers, and students, additional desks as well as teaching and learning materials and appealed for more support.
Mrs Elizabeth Opoku-Darko, the Executive Secretary, NADeF, explained that the foundation had prioritised education and was determined to provide the required education facilities in communities around the mine to enhance quality education.
She explained that human resource development remained a key component of the foundation, saying the Afrisipakrom community requested for the classroom block through the Sustainable Development Committee (SDC).
Mrs Opoku-Darko entreated the school authorities to endeavour to maintain the facility and advised the school children to also learn hard to justify the investment.
Nana Asaimah Yeboah, the Akwamuhene (sub-chief) of Afrisipakrom said the community would forever remain grateful to Newmont for the level of development brought to the area, and expressed the hope that the foundation would do more to alleviate the plight of the people.
GNA