Residents of Damang in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality have expressed their gratitude to Abosso Gold Fields’ Damang Mine for its rehabilitation efforts, particularly noting their admiration for the farming activities now flourishing on reclaimed lands.
They are astonished to witness the transformation of once rocky mining areas into fertile farmland. Recently, the Damang Mine hosted an Open House Forum centered on rehabilitation planning for mine closure. This biannual event brought together key stakeholders to discuss the company’s reclamation efforts and plans.
Operations Manager Samuel Arthur during the interactions noted the continued support from the stakeholders. The forum showcased the mine’s current reclamation efforts, with 523 hectares out of 1,455 hectares of disturbed land already reclaimed.
Notably, Damang Mine is the first in Ghana to sign the Reclamation Security Agreement, securing a US$25 million bond to ensure land rehabilitation even if mining operations cease.
Mr. Arthur stressed the importance of concurrent rehabilitation saying “We’re excited to update you on the status of some rehabilitation demonstration projects. As the first mine to sign the Reclamation Security Agreement, we strive to show commitment to concurrent reclamation.”
Community members at the forum praised the company’s efforts, urging others to follow Goldfields’ example. “We’re encouraged to see farms in this area and encourage other mines to learn from this. They’ve reclaimed land and planted cash crops, benefiting local communities,” one of them said.
The forum concluded with a tour of the rehabilitated areas, showcasing the positive impacts of these activities on the local community.
