Asona Gold Mines Limited yesterday presented assorted items worth over GH¢32,000.00 to seven needy institutions at a colourful ceremony in Accra.
The items included bags of rice, sugar, edible oil, milk, detergents and assorted biscuits.
Apart from the items, Asona also presented an amount of GH¢1,000.00 to each of the beneficiary institutions.
The institutions are Tema SOS Village, Accra SOS Village, Asiakwa SOS Village, Kumasi SOS Village, Tamale SOS Village, Bawjiase Orphanage and Weija Leprosarium.
Making the presentation, Nana Kwaku Asiedu Donkor, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Asona Gold Mines, said that it was incumbent on private entities to help the needy in society.
“We cannot continue to always expect the government alone to cater for the needs of all Ghanaians,” he said.
According to him, the company has over the years made it an annual affair to assist the needy and that it would spread its tentacles to other institutions in the coming years.
Nana Donkor disclosed that the company would offer scholarship to 50 school children come next year.
The Asona Mines CEO revealed that the company would soon establish a foundation that would undertake vigorous activities that would touch the lives of the under privileged in society.
“The mission of Asona apart from mining is to help transform the lives of the needy in society,” he said.
Touching on the mining industry, Nana Donkor said it was sad that foreigners, particularly Chinese, are undertaking illegal mining activities in the country.
“Asona is not against foreigners in mining but the right documentation and permit should be obtained in order to know who is doing what and at where,” he said.
He said that it is important for the government and other stakeholders in the mining sector to come together and address the issue of illegal mining.
Nana Donkor said that there is the need to develop the mining sector so that the nation could derive maximum benefit from the sector.
He said that the mining areas were lagging behind in terms of development and that must be addressed in earnest.
“The government must go to the table with the companies to come out with well-tailored programmes to promote development in mining areas,” he added.
Mr. J. B. Nartey, the director of the Asiakwa SOS in the Eastern Region, on behalf of the recipients, commended Asona Mines for the gesture.
He urged other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture and help needy institutions.
Asona Mines, since its inception four years ago, has made corporate social responsibility a topmost priority.
Presently, the company has joined forces with the chiefs and people of Kutukrom in the Western Region for development purposes.
Again, it provided excavators for the Nzema East District Assembly towards the improvement of the road network in the area.
Apart from that, Asona Mines has helped with the development of Bepong in the Eastern Region with numerous projects.