Stewart Bailey, Chief Sustainability and Corporate Affairs Officer at AngloGold Ashanti, has reiterated the company’s strong commitment to ensuring that local communities directly benefit from mining operations in Ghana.
Speaking in an interview on the sidelines of the Mining in Motion Summit aired on Channel One TV‘s The Point of View on Monday June 9, he emphasised that AngloGold Ashanti fully supports the principle of shared benefits, warning that failing to do so could undermine the company’s long-term ability to operate.
“We totally endorse the view that you need shared benefits from the development of this resource; without that, you jeopardise your entire license to operate. So let me be clear that it is something we totally support,” he stated.
Bailey highlighted the upstream portion of the business as a key area where opportunities exist, stressing the need to integrate local companies into the mining value chain.
“It is important that we make sure that our local communities not only are seen to benefit but see tangible benefits from those mines. So that starts with employment, making sure that wherever possible, we align local companies to provide those goods and services that we need to continue,” he explained.
He further noted that AngloGold Ashanti has long been a leader in **value sharing**, ensuring that local businesses and workers play a significant role in the company’s operations.
Bailey reaffirmed AngloGold Ashanti’s long-term presence in Ghana, stating, “We’ve been here for decades, and we will be here for decades more. We need to be working with our partners in Ghana, and that is what we fully intend to do.