AngloGold Ashanti has helped to facilitate the development of a satellite Obuasi campus for Ghana’s renowned Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), which is headquartered in the city of Kumasi. Through the provision of training and education, this move will contribute to the long-term economic viability and resilience of the Obuasi Region. The catalyst for the university’s new outpost was the donation of a number of office complexes and residential properties at the north Obuasi mine.

The creation of positive and lasting legacies that will endure beyond the life of our mines depends on developing the skills and nurturing the talent of young people in our host communities. The company has realised that the most effective way to achieve success in this regard – and to breathe life into our value of leaving communities better off – is to partner with specialists in the field of education.

AngloGold Ashanti Ghana contributed more than half of the $74,155 renovation costs as part of its CSR investment, complementing the municipal assembly’s contribution.

On gaining approval from the government of Ghana to proceed with the project, a working group was formed comprising representatives from AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, traditional leaders of the Obuasi area and the municipal assembly, and members of the KNUST faculty. Once formed, the group set about planning the development of the university campus.

The campus was launched in 2019 with the enrolment of 343 students for the 2019 and 2020 academic year, 105 of whom are women. A number of Bachelor of Science courses in the areas of engineering, science and business are available, including qualifications in geological and metallurgical engineering, environmental sciences and business information.

“Due to the small class sizes, the lecturers are able to assess individual needs much better and help us to understand what is being taught,” says Gabriel Owusu Ansah, a metallurgical engineering student. “I am excited to be one of the pioneers, and I will work hard to be a good role model for those who come after us.”

Both AngloGold Ashanti and the government of Ghana believe that the establishment of the university campus will boost the local economy and ensure it continues to thrive beyond the life of the mine. KNUST hopes that the campus will develop into a full-fledged university comparable to the University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa, located near some of Ghana’s other major gold mines.