The Obuasi East District Assembly in collaboration with the Minerals Development Fund (MDF), has commissioned a multi-purpose community centre at Ahansonyewodea, a mining community in Obuasi.
The facility, which will serve as venue for all forms of social activities and funded by the MDF at a cost of GHC 400,000.00, is part of three projects selected by the Local Mining Committee (LMC) to be constructed from the Fund.
With the commissioning of the ultra-modern facility, residents would no longer hire canopies and chairs at exorbitant prices for their social events, thereby bringing huge relief for the people.
The facility comes with spacious auditorium, lavatories, additional rooms as well as a mechanised borehole.
Madam Faustina Amissah, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Obuasi East, at a ceremony to commission the facility, said the construction of the centre was an indication of judicious use of the fund for the benefit of mining communities.
‘Since the LMC was formed in 2020, this is the first project we have commissioned. Currently, the construction of CHPS compound and Nurses quarters at Kwameduakrom is progressing steadily while another CHPS compound and Nurses quarters at Anyimadukrom will start in earnest,’ the DCE revealed.
She called for effective management of the facility and expressed hope that revenue generated from the usage of the centre would help maintain it.
The MDF was set up by the Minerals Development Fund Act, 2016 (Act 912) to provide financial resources for the direct benefit of mining communities, institutions responsible for the development of the mining sector, as well as traditional and local government.
The passage of the MDF necessitated the formation of LMCs to administer the fund, which was previously lodged and managed through the Consolidated Fund.
The LMC is responsible for selecting projects for beneficiary communities while the MDF secretariat provides funding for the approved projects.
Mr. Kwaku Sakyi Addo, Board Chairman of the MDF lauded the Local Management Committee in the District for spearheading the construction of the project.
He said the project would immensely help the community who struggled to find a place to host their social events and gatherings.
He admonished the community to maintain the facility to stand the test of time saying, ‘this project emanated from a needs assessment done by the LMC, which means it is the project the community has called for. I will entreat you to own it and protect it to serve future generations,’ he stated.
Source: Ghana News Agency