The Asanko Gold Ghana, a mining company, yesterday inaugurated and handed over a new hospital facility for the people of Bontefufuo in the Amansie West District of the Ashanti Region.The project is to make healthcare more accessible to the people.
The hospital, which is expected to employ two to four medical doctors, 30 nurses, eight midwives and other medical staff, has adequate space for the storage of medical supplies.
But for this intervention, residents of Bontefufuo and other neighbouring catchment communities such as Esaase, Manhyia, Aboabo, Tetremu, Mpatoamu, Ahwerewa, Bonteso and Akataniase, would have to travel to Nkawie to access medical care.
Facility
The fully furnished facility,which was estimated at $1,765,382.48, comes with an ambulance donated by the Rabotec Group.
Some facilities at the hospital includes, a theater, emergency room, laboratory, pharmacy, laundry, administration offices and separate male, female, children and maternity wards.
The hospital project was in fulfillment of a request made by the Asantehene, Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, for the mining company to build a health facility at Bontefufuo where it operates.
The request was made because of the lack of a major health facility at the time.
CSR
Speaking at the ceremony to inaugurate the project, the General Manager of Asanko, Andrew McGowan said Otumfuo’s request was in line with the company corporate social responsibility, hence the realisation of the ultra-modern edifice.
Additionally, he said the move fell under a programme dubbed, “ Asanko Opportunity Cycle”, which specifically leveraged the presence of the mine to make positive impact on stakeholders in order to create a self-sustaining legacy that would survive beyond the existence of the mine.
He seized the opportunity to advise the beneficiaries to put the facility to good use, while ensuring equipment were maintained to maximise their operational life.
The Managing Director of Asanko, Dr Charles Amoah, said Otumfuo’s intervention had led to a peaceful co-existence between the company and the Bontefufuo community.
He appealed to the chiefs and people of the community to sustain the existing cooperation with the Asanko Gold Mine in ensuring total harmony to their mutual benefit.
Commendation
The Essumejamanhene, Odeneho Nana Okyere Kusi Ntrama, who represented the Asantehene, commended Asanko for its timely response to the needs of the people.
On his part, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Simon Osei Mensah, said the company deserved the support from the community to enable it to tackle the pressing problem of galamsey encroachment, which impacted the security of its operations.
He advised residents to desist from encroaching on the mining sites.
The minister added that anyone who took the laws into their own hands would be arrested and prosecuted.
In attendance at the event were the Asaase-Bontefufuomhene, Nana Siaw Kesse II, the Member of Parliament of the area, George Obeng Takyi and the District Chief Executive, Nii Ollenu Lartey.
Source: Graphiconline
