Ghana’s mining giant, AngloGold Ashanti, has contracted 650 workers on a temporary basis.

This comes shortly after the company retrenched its entire workforce last year in a move to begin a transformational process in line with a new road map to resuscitate the mines.

The new recruits, who are said to be specialised staff, have been engaged in a one-year renewable contract and have, thus, begun the layout and construction of basic amenities at the new sites of the company, south of its concession in Obuasi.

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Nii Osah Mills, who completed a two-day working visit at the new sites and some communities, commended the management of AngloGold Ashanti, for strictly following the road map and giving hope to the country’s mining industry.

The minister also expressed optimism about the prospects of the mining industry and commended AngloGold for its decision to save the mines.

The workers are expected to drill at least 1,500m vertical deep within the care and maintenance period which also includes a complete feasibility study for the big takeoff.

The minister pledged to completely get rid of the ‘galamsey’ operators to enable the company to undertake its operations in peace.

Consequently, Nii Osah Mills indicated his intention to partner the chiefs, who were considered as the principal characters in the illegal mining practice, to find a lasting solution to the challenges.

Beyond the chiefs, the minister reckoned that there were ‘unseen hands’ both locally and internationally and said that measures to track them had been devised.