Obuasi (Ash), Nov. 29, GNA – An Enterprise and Skills Development Center, serving as a one-stop hub to provide solutions to local businesses and also support skills development and capacity building, has been inaugurated at Obuasi in the Ashanti Region.
The project, jointly executed by AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (AGAG), Obuasi Mine, and the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Community Trust Fund, aims to boost the local economy of the mining community.
It comes with varied facilities, including a multipurpose conference and training unit, business unit, fully-equipped industrial sewing, and bead-making units, a fully-equipped workshop, hand sanitizer production unit, and eight mini-meeting areas.
Dr Eric Asubonteng, Managing Director of the AGAG, Obuasi Mine, said the project was in line with the Enterprise Development Programme under the Social Management Plan of the company.
The Programme, according to him, had provided business solution support to about 600 businesses at Obuasi, covering women-owned businesses and artisans to enhance their productive capacity, efficiency, and ability to compete on the market.
He added that the Center also aimed at functioning as an anchor for the private sector development objective of the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Community Trust Fund.
Under the Trust Fund’s Skills Development Programme, 60 master craft persons have been trained in leather works, bead craft, and fashion design, amongst others.
“Undoubtedly, the Obuasi Enterprise and Skills Development Centre has the potential to boost the local economy by developing market ready training programmes that will improve the living conditions of our youth and enhance their self-reliance,” Dr. Asubonteng observed.
He was hopeful the Center would, to a large extent, improve both human and economic capital, and assist in the development and fast flow of business activities in the mining community and other host communities.
Mr Simon Osei-Mensah, the Regional Minister, lauded the mining company for resuscitating the local economy, saying, the Center added up to the many initiatives designed to equip the people with employable skills.
“Any economy whose strength is dependent on the private sector is bound to succeed,” he noted, citing how the likes of China, Japan, Germany, amongst others, had built resilient informal sectors to underpin sustainable growth.
Consequently, the people ought to avail themselves of the programmes offered at the Center to empower them for wealth creation, he advised.
Nana Oppong Boakye Yiadom, Board Member of the AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Community Trust Fund, lauded the mining company for resourcing the Fund to meet its expectations.
He called on the people, especially the youth, to embrace employable skills training courses to open up opportunities for them to establish their own businesses.
The event had the presence of traditional authorities within the catchment area of the Obuasi Mine.
GNA