No land within AngloGold Ashanti's mining lease may be made available to third parties - AGAG to Obuasi Youth Community Mining Association

According to AngloGold Ashanti Ghana (AGAG), it is not authorized to grant access to any territory covered by its mining lease to outside parties.

This is in reaction to a protest organized by the Obuasi Youth Community Mining Association with the slogan "Obuasi Deserves Better" to ask AngloGold Ashanti to give up more of its core concession so that community mining can take place.

The group also brought up the high unemployment rate in Obuasi and demanded that AngloGold Ashanti hire more locals.

According to AngloGold Ashanti, it has already given the Minerals Commission approximately 70% of the original mining lease's land and has only kept portions that are essential to its present and future mining and infrastructure needs.

Furthermore, it stated that the AGAG could not grant a mining lease to the group because doing so would be against Ghanaian law. Only the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources has this authority.

Regarding unemployment, it was stated that "the company has prioritized employment of citizens from the Obuasi communities, notably Adansi and Amansie, in varied capacities and temporary and permanent jobs" from the start of the Obuasi Redevelopment Project in 2019.

"A Local Employment Procedure has established the priority status of local communities.

The corporation has also made considerable investments in its host communities through a three-year social management plan, from 2019 to 2021, including in the fields of education, skill development, health, water and sanitation, infrastructure assistance, and local content, it was noted.

Additionally, it stated that "via its 10-year Socio-economic Development Plan, beginning in 2021, AngloGold Ashanti continues to demonstrate its solid commitment to the development of the Obuasi villages by promoting regional economic expansion and cultivating linkages with the host communities.

The Obuasi Community Trust Fund, whose main goal is to finance projects in the villages based on their requests, receives a $2 contribution from AngloGold Ashanti for every ounce of gold it produces.

The statement said, "Our primary emphasis is the safety of our personnel and host communities, and all required safeguards are in place to ensure their safety."