The Cardinal Namdini Mining Limited (CNML), through its contractor, Engineers & Planners (E&P), has constructed and handed over a four-kilometre bypass road to the chiefs and people of Talensi District of the Upper East Region.

The works done on the road included reshaping, grading, fixing culverts and reengineering the drainage system to prevent floods during the rainy season and ensure the road was motorable and lasted long.

The road links the district capital, Tongo, to the Gbambie community to meet the 25 Km main access roads constructed by the CNML from Balungu on the Bolgatanga-Walewale Highway to the mining site of the CNML earlier in its construction phase to facilitate the movement of people, goods and services.

The bypass road was constructed under the mining service agreement between CNML and E&P and formed part of CNML’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to its operational and host communities.

At a brief ceremony at Gbambie to hand over the bypass road to the Talensi District Assembly, Lawrence Yuonakuu, General Manager of E&P in charge of the CNML mining site, said the road formed part of the agreement his company had with CNML to reconstruct the road to make it motorable for commuters.

“The estimated cost as of today is about US$700,000 that we have already spent and this comprises buying of materials, labour, transportation including machines and equipment such as culverts from Accra,” he said.

He thanked the CNML and the authorities and residents of the Talensi District and added that the Company was working to strengthen the partnership in the area and contribute to improving the livelihoods of the people.

Andrew Ofori, Project Manager for E&P at the CNML site, revealed that hitherto, the road was in a poor state and posed a risk to commuters and road users, however, the road had been reconstructed to stand the test of time.

“The road was in a deplorable state before we came and with the goodwill of CNML, we worked on it into a good working condition for the community by locating problem areas and replacing them with durable materials that would stand the test of time,” he added.

He said apart from fixing culverts in low-lying areas, the road was constructed in such a manner that during the rainy season, water would not be collected on the road but would find its way into the natural streams.

Mr. Emmanuel Kofi Adusei, Community and Social Responsibility Manager, CNML, lauded the E&P for the project and added that the road's quality further cemented the company's integrity and urged other construction companies to emulate the example.

He believed that the road would contribute to facilitating movement within the district and boost socio-economic activities for sustainable development.

“We hope that the community will continue to support us so that we will be able to work with them towards the development of the Talensi District,” he added.

Mr. Thomas Duanab Wuni, District Chief Executive for Talensi, thanked CNML and E&P for the support, adding that the improved road would significantly help prevent losses, especially post-harvest losses associated with the district's bad roads.

Mr. Feng Baoli, Vice President in charge of General Administration, Public Relations and Security of CNML, was also in attendance.

The CNML, a subsidiary of Shandong Gold, a Chinese Mining firm, is undertaking large-scale open-cast (surface) gold mining in the Talensi District for an initial lifespan of 15 years.

The area is a green field, and it is the first of its kind in Ghana since 2013 when Newmont Akyem Mine poured its first gold.

It is the single largest gold stream mine in Ghana and is one of the largest single gold mines in the West African Sub region.

The mine is expected to generate about 150 million tonnes of ore, resulting in five million ounces of gold within the period.