SHAANXI MINING [GH] LTD. BUILDS $1,000,000 BRIDGE FOR GBANE COMMUNITY

SHAANXI MINING [GH] LTD. BUILDS $1,000,000 BRIDGE FOR GBANE COMMUNITY May 17, 2012 BY PETER ATOGEWE WEDAM ISD-BOLGATANGA MUNICIPAL The Upper Regional Minister, Mr. Mark Owen Woyongo has finally broken the ground for the construction of a 1,000,000 Dollar bridge over River Oun at Gbane in the Talensi-Nabdam district of the Upper East region. Last week precisely on 9th May, 2012, a similar ceremony held in this same community to commence the construction works was disrupted by a section of angry small scale miners who also operate in the Gbane community. The chaos left in its wake a number of wounded miners both Chinese and Ghanaians with one drilling rig belonging to the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Limited burnt to ashes. The regional minister shared in the grief of the Chinese mining company which lost about US $3.5 million as a result of the rioting by the small scale miners and pledged that government is committed to ensuring that such incidents are never repeated whilst the police have already arrested some culprits who were involved in the unlawful act. He admonished the community members and small scale miners against any unlawful acts against the Chinese miners stressing that such indiscipline acts will only drive away investors currently in the region and further scare others from entering the area for investment purposes. Mr. Woyongo noted that the mining sector is an important segment of the Ghanaian economy playing significant roles in socioeconomic development since the colonial era as mining companies have contributed meaningfully to the development of areas they operate in. He observed that the Shaanxi Mining Ghana Ltd., a subsidiary of China Gold has so far donated 114 dual desks and four teachers’ tables to a primary school in Gbane, extended underground water and provided jobs for about 150 people while there are moves to extend electricity from the Pwalugu substation to Gbane. Mr. Woyongo entreated the chiefs and people of Gbane to live in peace with the Chinese miners stressing that it is only in a peaceful environment that the company can roll out all projects mapped out on its social responsibility agenda for the Gbane community. The Chief Executive Officer of the Shaanxi Mining Company, Mr. Wei Xing disclosed that in 2008, his company which is a subsidiary to the parent company China Gold Resources Group Co. Ltd. entered into an agreement with two local small scale mining groups namely Yenyeya and Pubootaba mining groups in Gbane to provide support services following which his company began exploration works in the third quarter of 2009 over a land area of about 747.410 acres. Mr. Xing who is also the Chairman of China Gold, said he accompanied President John Evans Atta Mills on a presidential delegation to China in August 2010 and further discussions pushed him to intensify his investments in the Upper East region resulting in the extension of underground roadways, building of modernized new processing plant, increased field prospecting operations among others. All these Mr. Xing disclosed, amounted to about 50 million US Dollars investment in the Gbane mining concessions. He said though his company is yet to start production, it has shown positive commitment to its social responsibilities including a donation of dual desks and teachers’ tables to a primary school in Gbane while the provision of two boreholes to nearby communities is almost completed. He said the construction of the million Dollar bridge over River Oun will link Gbane to other villages during the rains and spare the locals of needless deaths of people who often swim to cross the said river. Meanwhile Shaanxi Mining Gh. Ltd is also planning to donate assorted medical equipment to the Bolgatanga Regional Hospital.