The Management of Gold Fields has donated a tractor to the Ghana Armed Forces to be used in clearing the edges and shoulders of the runway.
The 28,000-dollar equipment has ended a period in the lives of servicemen who hitherto had to use ‘Lan galanga’ and cutlasses to perform same duties.
Air Commodore Godfried Sackey Parker, Base Commander, who received the tractor lauded the collaboration to advance safety at the base which would be comparable to international standards.
He said, ‘For us at the base, safety is a priority, and this benevolence will work a long way to help us meet safety requirements particularly around the runway according to International demands.’
Mr. Elliot Twum, Relieving General Manager, Tarkwa Mine, who handed over the tractor and a mower to the Air Commodore of the Takoradi Airforce Base said the gesture would resolve potential impediments to hinder flight operations.
‘At Gold Fields, safety is our number one value and if we cannot mine safely, we will not mine. We extend this to the communities we operate in and ensure all our stakeholders understand and benefit from the commitment we make to this number one value’, he added.
Mr. Twum said employees, visitors and other key stakeholders of the Mine used the airport often to engage both Mine sites at Tarkwa and Damang.
The company, he revealed, had spent over 96 million dollars so far on socioeconomic development programmes and projects, focusing on education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture, and infrastructure, in their host communities through its foundation.
‘We are keen on ensuring sustainable growth and development and targets we have set for environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments.’
Source: Ghana News Agency