The village of Batokunku and Abubakary Jawara’s GACH Mining Company have reached an agreement for the construction of a hospital and installation of streetlights worth millions of dalasis.
As part of the agreement, GACH Mining Company has committed itself as part its corporate social responsibility to construct a community health clinic with a consultation room, store room, male and female wards, prenatal ward, delivery room, postnatal ward and one office.
The company shall also in tandem with the VDC use its best efforts to seek charitable donations from third parties for the furnishing of the clinic, fence the community football field, make a donation of 150 solar streetlights to the community and make one-off contribution of D150,000 to the VDC which shall be used for development efforts.
The company has also committed to use its best efforts to assist the community on any other ventures on a case-by-case basis in any other projects that the community may deem to be a priority subject to availability of funds.
Meanwhile, the villagers were overwhelmed with joy on Friday as the company presented 150 streetlights worth D825, 000 to them.
The solar lights were received by the leaders of the village led by Alkalo Jerreh Jatta, Councillor Boto Jatta and Village Development Committee chairman Mustapha Kandeh in a colourful ceremony.
The streetlights are expected to be spread across the village.
The GACH Mining site manager Amadou Manneh said the villagers have also made an appeal to the company to enable it access potable water as Batokunku has yet to gain access to running water.
“Though this did not form part of the MoU, we will bring the matter to the attention of Abubakary Jawara. He’s generous and kindhearted and we hope that we will render his support,” Manneh said.
According to him, despite the MoU, GACH Mining will not only limit itself to agreement in terms of interventions.
“That’s how GACH operates. Even when we were mining in Sanyang, the police station was not part of the MoU but because of his generosity, he volunteered to help the community rebuild the station after it was set alight,” he added.
The village alkalo and the VDC chairman expressed gratitude to Abubakary Jawara for his generosity and assured him of the village’s continued support and partnership.
