10-year development plan initiated to develop Obuasi

Proposed Adansi towers

A ten-year development plan dubbed “The Whole Adansi” has been drawn to ensure a transformational change in infrastructural development of the mining town of Obuasi.

The concept initiated by Mr. Jojo Frimpong-Boateng, Chief Executive Officer of The Whole Adansi Company Limited is to be implemented over a ten year period.

Under the project, which seeks to bring total development to the area, the vast land area would be developed to create new settlements in a planned city and replicated in various communities to contain more residents after which the old settlements would be decongested for rehabilitation to fit into the new arrangement.

The concept entails developing the infrastructure, culture and tradition of the people towards making the area a replica of Johannesburg in South Africa.

Mr. Frimpong-Boateng, a  product of Valley-View University, Aviation/Piloting Lynn University, Boca Raton, Fl and Mechanical Engineering University of Minnesota (Minneapolis/St.Paul), says his group intends to bring in investors to promote education and infrastructural development  and affordable housing  with the main focus to make Adansi an Empire state and a paradise for future generations.

Mr. Frimpong-Boateng, a large scale miner and development consultant said the concept would be implemented with funding from own resources, private partnership and external investors and networking as well as funds to be generated  as levies from community mining and that depending on the rate of cash flow, the concept would be implemented over a period of ten years.

He noted that in spite of the long years of mining in the town, Obuasi has nothing to show from Corporate Social responsibility by the various mining firms over the last 100 plus years.

The exponent noted that Johannesburg which started mining gold in 1884, few years ahead of Obuasi in 1897 is better off and therefore the trend must change.

According to Frimpong-Boateng, Obuasi should have been on the same level as Johannesburg hence the resolve of the group to poll human resources and capital together to transform the area. He said the group would focus on change through sustainable farming and add value to products for export, create industries as well provide state-of-the-art hospitals, clean water, environment and sanitation for Adansi.

Frimpong-Boateng says with the available resources at Adansi in general the people could be mobilized for a dynamic change. “It is time for us to change our thought process and realize that if other countries have done it, we can also do it with all the natural resources God has blessed us with” he said adding that “Obuasi has everything to make change possible”.

He welcomed the new arrangement as announced by the President recently that US$2 from each ounce of gold produced by Anglogold will go to the Obuasi Community Trust Fund to support the development of Obuasi and its environs.

He assured that the government will work closely with AngloGold to ensure that the environmental concerns associated with mining are addressed.

Mr. Frimpong-Boateng said the arrangement would enhance the effective implementation of “The Whole Adansi” concept.

He, however, accused chiefs of apathy towards development of the area noting that chiefs who are supposed to be the agents of development have chosen the path of self-destruction by engaging in unnecessary disputes instead of championing the development of the area and stressed the need to orientate chiefs to adapt to the envisaged change.

He said in spite of the objection to the concept by some chiefs who feel threatened that their authority could be undermined for their inability to initiate the desired change, the group is committed to ensuring a transformational change.

Frimpong-Boateng said it is time Adansi chiefs rethink their mindset, refrain from selfishness and avoid indulging in disputes in order to develop the area and thus make Adansi state an enviable empire for the benefit of the youth and future generations.