Betterland Ghana Ltd, a large-scale mining company based in the Gwira Banso enclave in the Nzema East Municipality of the Western Region, has reiterated its firm commitment to upholding and advancing social contract values with its frontline communities.
The company, which has not yet begun full operations and is currently undertaking prospecting, added that the well-being of local residents remains paramount in all areas.
Employment and local content
The management stressed that once fully operational, the project will offer direct employment to between 500 and 1,000 frontline locals.
Training for young people in key technical areas will also be a priority investment for the company.
Social investment fund
Sources close to Betterland Ghana Ltd indicated that the Board of Trustees, as part of its resource commitment to improving living standards in the frontline communities, has established a social investment fund to drive this agenda.
Plans are well advanced to invest between $500,000 and $1 million to activate most of its community relations activities, mainly to address the pressing needs of beneficiary communities. Targeted initiatives include health, education, sustainable livelihoods and youth development, as the company prepares to commence full operations in 2027.
Response to illegal mining allegations
Responding to allegations of illegal mining on its concessions, the company maintained that, apart from its prospecting activities, which are fully supervised by key state regulators, it is a registered large-scale company with legally acquired concessions in the area and does not engage in irresponsible mining.
The company added that since acquiring its concessions, it has not commenced any mining activity nor supervised any illegal activity that undermines the country’s regulatory procedures.
Betterland Ghana has recently come under attack over alleged involvement in illegal mining, an assertion it says is false.
It maintains that it is instead protecting the concessions from local intruders bent on destroying the Gwira Banso forest. The company said it spends close to GHc100,000 on security personnel to protect the forest from invasion.
Regulatory compliance and workplace culture
It assured its commitment to adhering to the legal framework governing mining operations in Ghana and said it will not go any length to breach such procedures.
The company said it is focused on fostering a collaborative, inclusive work environment and promoting teamwork and knowledge sharing. By combining collective knowledge, skills and experience, it is able to tackle complex projects and find creative solutions to the unique challenges presented by each endeavour.
