President Akufo-Addo has bemoaned the growing poverty rate in Obuasi municipality despite the popularity of the enclave as one of the top largest gold mines on the globe.
The President said it’s worrying that after years of mining in the Ashanti regional town, the mining business has not significantly benefited the lives of the locals.
Living condition for the locals is not attractive in Obuasi, while Opinion leaders and Chiefs say they have nothing to show for despite the fact that Obuasi has all the trappings of wealth following the gold mine.
Residents decry they’re denied the full-scale benefit of the riches buried beneath their feet.
Speaking at an event organised by the Royal Africa Society, Facebook and the Ghana 60 Years on Committee, on the theme “Africa Beyond Aid” on Tuesday, November 21, 2017, President Akufo-Addo said conscious policies must be implemented to ensure proper management of resources as the way to engineer social and economic growth in the country.
He emphasized that the situation where a few people enrich themselves with the resources of the nation is unacceptable.
“As you all know Ghana used to be called the Gold Coast. And it was for good reason. We’re endowed with lots of Gold. The richest Gold Mine in the world is said to be in Ghana-Obuasi. And gold is been mined there for about a century and a half. There is something not right when Obuasi makes a few people rich and remain poor itself,” he said.