A GH¢2.86 million piggery production centre, constructed by AngloGold Ashanti (AGA) Obuasi Mine, has been inaugurated at Sanso in the Obuasi Municipality to promote sustainable livelihoods and diversify the local economy beyond mining.
The facility, developed under the company’s 10-Year Socio-Economic Development Plan (SEDP), comprises 20 modern pig pens, office and storage facilities, foundation breeding stock, and a fully solar-powered energy system.
Out of the total investment, approximately GH¢1.49 million was spent on construction, while GH¢1.37 million covered furnishing, breeding stock, veterinary services, capacity-building, and six months of feed support for beneficiaries.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, the Director of Sustainability Management at AGA Obuasi Mine, Mr Edmund Oduro Agyei, stated that the investment reflected the company’s commitment to creating lasting value beyond mining.
He explained that the company believed in investing in sectors that generated sustainable livelihoods and strengthened local economies in line with its core purpose of empowering people and advancing societies.
Mr Agyei indicated that the project was informed by the strong performance of a pilot phase under the Piggery and Aquaculture Programme, launched in 2025.
He noted that nine beneficiary farmers had increased their combined pig population from 173 to 428 animals, representing a 171 per cent growth.
Construction of the facility was undertaken by X-Mell Construction, a local contractor, in line with the company’s policy of prioritising indigenous businesses within its host communities.
Management of the centre has been handed over to the Obuasi Municipal Co-operative Pig Farmers and Marketing Society Limited, Sanso.
Members of the group, he stressed, had received training in modern pig production, animal health management, record-keeping and cooperative governance.
The Chief Executive of the Obuasi Municipal Assembly, Ms Faustilove Appiah Kanin, commended AGA for the initiative and urged beneficiaries to manage the facility responsibly to ensure its sustainability.
The project forms part of a broader agricultural development agenda under the SEDP, which also includes the Climate Resilience Oil Palm Plantation Programme (CROPP) and support for Farmers’ Day celebrations across the municipality.
FROM KINGSLEY E. HOPE, KUMASI
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