Newmont Ghana commits to local employment, community resettlement

Newmont Ghana has expressed its deep appreciation to stakeholders for their crucial support in managing speculative developments that posed significant challenges to the Ahafo North Project in the Tano North Municipality. The development, which had to be temporarily halted, was severely impacted by widespread speculative activities, affecting the timeline and cost of the entire project.

Mr. David Ebo Johnson, Director of Communications and External Relations at Newmont Ahafo South Mine, highlighted the gravity of the situation, noting that speculative structures had become a major obstacle to the project’s progress. “Speculative developments have been a huge challenge for us. The project had to be paused for a while to deal with these challenges,” Mr. Johnson stated during an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) in Sunyani.

He further explained that the pause in the project led to increased costs and delays in the commencement of commercial production. “Once you stop a project, it actually increases the project cost and also extends the time that commercial production would begin. So, speculative structures had a huge negative impact on the project. Thankfully, with the support of stakeholders, we have been able to manage that considerably,” he said.

Mr. Johnson expressed optimism that with the challenges now under control, the company does not anticipate any further stoppages. He indicated that Newmont expects commercial production at the Ahafo North Project to commence in the second half of 2025, with more definitive timelines to be provided as the project progresses.

Addressing job expectations surrounding the project, Mr. Johnson emphasized Newmont’s commitment to local employment. “We trained the locals for the industry and beyond, and with that kind of training, one could find a job either with the company directly, through contractors, or even with other mining companies,” he noted.

Regarding the resettlement of affected communities, Mr. Johnson reassured that the process is being handled with utmost care and transparency. He explained that the Resettlement Negotiation Committee, which includes sufficient representation from the communities and is led by a professional valuer, ensures that the interests of the community are well protected.

“We are making sure that we are engaging in a process that stands the test of time in terms of best practices,” Mr. Johnson stated, adding that Newmont has learned valuable lessons from past experiences and is committed to ensuring that the Ahafo North Project contributes positively to the socio-economic livelihoods of the local population.

As Newmont moves forward with the Ahafo North Project, the company remains confident that the support and cooperation of stakeholders will continue to play a vital role in overcoming challenges and achieving the project’s objectives.