The total value of procuring the PCR machines, ancillary equipment, reagents and setting up of the laboratories is GHC 3.1 million (US$545,000), Newmont Ghana said in a statement.
KCCR is one of the two major testing centres in the country and the increasing number of cases in the country has put a significant strain on the facility.
The Director of KCCR, Prof Richard Phillips expressed gratitude to Newmont Ghana, saying “this will significantly boost our capacity to test more samples. With the rising number of cases in the country, this support could not have come at a better time.”
The Vice-President, Sustainability and External Relations at Newmont Ghana, Adiki Ayitevie, said, “Protecting the health and safety of our communities and workforce is our priority. We believe that procuring PCR machines and setting up laboratories for public health facilities in our host communities will help significantly in the fight against the pandemic.”
The MoU is part of the miner’s initiatives sponsored from its Africa Region’s allocation of US$3.3 million of the Global Community Support Fund set up by the company to support COVID management efforts in its operating jurisdictions. So far, Newmont Ghana has approved over $2 million (GHS11 million) to be spent on employee and community health, food security and local economic resilience initiatives within and beyond its host communities.
Among the beneficiary institutions are the Birim North Health Service, Birim North District Assembly, Birim Central District Assembly, Asutifi North District Assembly Asutifi North Health Service, Asutifi North District Police Service, Tano North Municipal Assembly and the Tano North Health Service.
In April, Newmont Ghana donated US$50,000 to help procure test kits for the Noguchi Memorial Institute for Medical Research and the KCCR. The company also contributed about $554,000 (approximately GH¢3 million) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines US$2 million (GHS11 million) donation to support the national COVID-19 management effort.
Newmont Africa is a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation, the world’s leading gold business. It has two gold mining operations in Ghana: The Ahafo Mine located in the Ahafo Region and the Akyem Mine located in the Eastern Region. The Company currently employs over 5,500 employees and contractors. The Company also has greenfield exploration activities in Ethiopia.
