Special topics
The Newmont Akyem Mining Company is constructing a GH₵437,000 modern surgical theatre for the New Abirem Government Hospital in the Birem North District.The theatre, which is expected to be completed in six months, will consist of two theatre rooms, two staff changing-rooms, two recovery wards, and three operating rooms.
Addressing a ground-breaking ceremony for the project, the General Manager of Newmont Akyem Project Mr. Kevin Moxham said health provides life and promotes development — hence Newmont has made the provision of health infrastructure one of its core commitments in all its mining communities.
He said the company had spent GH¢2,000,000 for the provision of infrastructure such as maternity, female and male wards, nursing and doctors quarters, a 265 KV standby generator and a mechanised borehole for the hospital.
He said: “Newmont has also partnered a non-governmental organization — Project Care of USA — to regularly provide assorted medical equipment; not only for the New Abirem Government Hospital alone, but also to nearby hospitals and satellite clinics nearby.
“The huge investment the Newmont Akyem Project is making into health, education, security, water and sanitation, are aimed at providing quality lifestyles to the people in the mining communities where the company operates.”
The Deputy Eastern Regional Director of Ghana Health Service (GHS), Mr. Mica Asare-Bediako, said the Ministry of Health (MOH) commends Newmont for the project and the chief of New Abirem for providing land for it.
He assured that the Ghana Health Service (GHS) will post competent medical specialist to the hospital for it to become a mini- teaching hospital.
The External Affairs Manager of Newmont , Mr. Felix Apoh said, US$129,000 has been realised from the one dollar for every one ounce of gold produced by the company agreement with the mining communities, and it will soon be paid into the Akyem Project Development Foundation to support development of the area.
The Chief of New Abirem, Obirempong Kwasi Amo Kyeretwire, appealed to Newmont to help the community establish a Vocational Training Institute to train the youth in technical skills that enable them to seek employment elsewhere, because the mining company alone cannot employ all the 40,000 youth of the affected area.
The Abiremhene later performed the ground-breaking ceremony for commencement of the project.
Source: B&FT
