The management of Earl International Group Ghana Gold Limited on Wednesday paid a courtesy call on the Upper East Regional Minister, Mr. Donatus Akamugri. As a key employer and economic player in the region, the visit was essentially to reaffirm Earl’s commitment to contributing significantly to the socio-economic development of the region through employment and other local content compliance and initiatives.
The visit, according to Earl’s Public Relations Officer, Ebenezer Bognaab, was also to congratulate Mr. Akamugri on his assumption of office as Regional Minister and to officially brief him on the operations of the company. As a large-scale mining company, Earl’s current standing commercial agreement with the government of Ghana, through parliamentary ratification, has resulted in an economic boost in the region and significant revenue contribution through financial obligations to the state.
“As a corporate institution doing legitimate mining business in the region, government is a key stakeholder. It is therefore important that we come here to first of all congratulate you and reassure you of our commitment to the social and economic growth of the region you head,” Bognaab said.
The General Manager of the Earl Group, Li Jianguo, noted that collaborative efforts with government agencies, including the Upper East Regional Coordinating Council, have impacted positively on the growth of the company, hence the need to strengthen the partnership. However, he expressed worry over some security concerns and activities of illegal miners that pose threats to the operations of the mine.
Earl’s Mine Manager, Mr. Firibu Abdulai Salia, highlighted persistent intrusions into the underground mining area of Earl by illegal miners as a major challenge, which not only causes losses to the company but also poses grave safety concerns. He appealed to the Regional Minister to take a keen interest in helping to address the challenge.
On his part, the Regional Minister admonished the management of Earl to ensure a high level of compliance with the minerals and mining regulations and give more job opportunities to the youth of the mining area. He further commended the company for its large workforce, which translates into significant job opportunities for the youth.
“I wish to state that you must ensure you operate within the laws of the country and all the regulations that guide your operations. That way, you avoid coming into conflict with the law. We know you are a licensed company, and so I can assure you of the collaboration of my office to address the concerns you have raised. What I will continue to ask is that you should give job opportunities to our people,” he stressed.
Source: PR Unit.
