The Coordinator for the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP), Dr Louise Carol Serwaa Donkor, has made a clarion call on mining companies to undertake legacy projects that will culminate in the socio-economic transformation of Ghana.

Speaking during a meeting with management of Gold Fields Ghana Ltd on Friday, February 24, 2023, Dr Louise Carol Donkor advocated the need for companies to embark on projects that will honour and contribute to the development of the communities and leave a lasting impression in Ghana.

According to her, undertaking viable and responsible projects in the communities will not just spur the growth of the communities but also create a long-lasting and unique bond between the company and the community that will ensure the smooth operations of the firm.

She said that an avenue where mining firms can make a lasting and sustainable impact is by coming together to build a Mining Museum and also contribute to the development of the GoldSouk – a marketplace for gold, where the youth can undertake artisan jewellery making.

She also stated that a good impression will also be made in the communities through the rehabilitation and reclamation of destroyed lands and providing employment along the value chain of their operations.

Dr Louise Carol Donkor implored the company to collaborate with NAELP to rehabilitate and restore some degraded lands that can be used for alternative livelihood sources and also work towards livelihood options along the value chains of mining.

She observed that prior to the establishment of NAELP, large-scale mining companies had been making huge investments in their communities with the aim of providing alternative sources of livelihood and developing them and that her presence was to explore ways those investments and CSR projects could be scaled up to augment government’s efforts of establishing other economic outlets for persons who hitherto engaged in illegal mining.

“We want to learn about what you’ve been doing in terms of CSR and the forecast for the future. The idea is that government cannot do it all so we want to build some collaboration on mutual interests.”

Dr Carol Donkor further called for a comprehensive study into Ghana’s mining architecture to ascertain local representation in the large-scale industry and how it can be improved.

For her part, the Community Affairs and Public Relations Manager of Gold Fields GH Ltd, Florence Ansere-Bioh intimated that since its arrival, Gold Fields has remained committed to the growth of communities within its catchment areas.

She welcomed the offer by NAELP to collaborate with her outfit to create sustainable and valid opportunities for Ghanaians living in mining areas and to seize the opportunity of an exhibition platform to tell their success stories.