Minister Urges Companies to Consult Communities on CSR

Madam Ntoso with officials of the Salt Company

The Volta regional minister, Madam Helen Ntoso has asked companies operating in the region to sign Memoranda of Understanding (MoU) with the communities in which they operate, concerning their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) projects. This, according to the minister would ensure that the pressing needs of the people are taken care of through the companies CSR activities and also prevent the unnecessary tension between the locals and the companies, when the projects are being undertaken due to lack of consultation.

‘Am much concern about your social responsibility to the locals... you must have an MoU with the communities, on the kind of project they needed... and that should binding on you’, Madam Ntoso noted during a reent visit to Kensington Industry Ltd, a salt producing factory at Adina and Diamond Cement Factory in Aflao respectively, all in the Ketu-South Municipality.

Kensington Industry Ltd which is a wholly own private company, is currently installing factory equipment to begin the processing salt.

Mr. Babulal Goud, General Manager, of the company assured the minister that, his company has an elaborate CSR plan with the community which includes the rehabilitation and provision of ICT equipment for schools in the area and also the facilitation of exchange programmes between the local schools and their foreign counterparts, among others. He said the company is also engaging majority of its workforce from the area.

Madam Helen Ntoso, commended the company for investing the region and supporting the government job creation agenda.

Regional Minister with officials Diamond Cement

At the Diamond cement factory at Aflao, the General Manager of the company, Tati Rama Roa, complained bitterly about the deplorable nature of the road linking the factory and the Aflao Township.

 This situation does not only inconvenience the company’s vehicles during downpours by rendering the road unmotorable, but also residents living around Akporkploe, where the company is situated, as their environment are polluted with dust and its associated health challenges.

Torgbui Amenya Fiti, paramount chief of Aflao also earlier appealed to the regional minister for the road to be reconstructed, as a sign of government support to the company which has provided jobs for the teeming youth in the area.

Diamond cement which currently produces 100,000 bags of cements (5,000 tonnes) per day, according to Mr Roa is also diversifying into salt production and it’s currently setting up a factory for that purpose at Anloga.

The company also recently completed a 2.5-kilometre railway, connecting the factory to the Lome Port, which facilitate the transportation of raw materials such as klinker from the port to the factory for production of cement.

The regional minister, Helen Ntoso who was impressed about the operations of the company, commended them for their contribution to the economic development of the region and the nation as a whole. She also assured the deplorable road would be taken care of by the appropriate road agency.

The Railway line

Diamond cement Ghana Ltd, which currently employs over 400 permanent and 1,000 casual workers, has plans of constructing a jetty (mini harbour) to facilitate its operations.

The company since it began operation in 2002, it has embarked on a number corporate social responsibility projects in the region, mainly school blocks, and its currently in talks with the traditional council on how to construct a modern stadium for the people of Aflao.