Newmont’s Development Foundation has inaugurated a cutting-edge sports complex in Adausena, a host community of its Akyem mine in Ghana’s Birim North Municipality, investing GHS7.5 million into facilities designed to empower youth and strengthen social ties.
The project, unveiled during a ceremony attended by local leaders and community members, features a basketball court, lawn tennis facilities, VIP stands, washrooms, and a gym—a infrastructure push poised to reshape recreational and developmental opportunities in the area.
Paul Suchmann Apenu, Newmont’s Community Development Manager, emphasized the arena’s broader purpose during the launch: “This isn’t just about sports. It’s a hub for talent discovery, youth engagement, and unifying our communities.” The complex will also host netball and table tennis, broadening its appeal. Apenu highlighted Newmont’s long-standing focus on grassroots development, referencing the company’s annual intercommunity sports tournament, active since 2006, and four football pitches built in neighboring towns to nurture local athletic talent.
Adausena Chief Nana Boni Abankro V praised the initiative but urged stakeholders to maintain the facilities. “This gift requires collective stewardship,” he stated, signaling the community’s role in sustaining the project’s impact.
The project reflects a strategic corporate-community partnership model increasingly critical in Africa’s extractive industries, where companies face pressure to translate resource wealth into localized benefits. By channeling funds into sports—a sector linked to health, discipline, and social cohesion—Newmont addresses youth unemployment and idleism, issues plaguing many mining-adjacent communities. Analysts note such efforts align with global ESG (Environmental, Social, Governance) standards, where businesses are evaluated on social accountability.
