Ghana: Newmont’s Foundation constructs Police Training School in Ahafo Kenyasi

Newmont’s Development Foundation in Ahafo has funded the construction of a Police Training School in Kenyasi No. 1, one of the company’s host communities in the Ahafo Region.

The school, the first and only one in the Ahafo and Bono Regions, was established through the collaborative efforts of Nana Osei Kofi Abiri, Omanhene of Kenyasi No. 1, Newmont’s Development Foundation in Ahafo, the former Inspector General of Police, Ernest Owusu Poku, and community leaders in Kenyase No. 1. 

This is part of measures to bolster the law enforcement capabilities of the Ghana Police Service and enhance their capacity.

Newmont, through its development foundation, has so far invested about GH¢5.8M to establish the training school which boasts of a modern administration block, a single-story classroom block, a dais, a 200-bed-capacity dormitory, a kitchen and a mess, changing rooms and lavatories for non-teaching staff, among others.

The school’s curriculum covers essential subjects like criminal law, service instructions, criminal investigation, criminal procedure, law of evidence, human rights and HIV, child-friendly policing, acts, Legal Instruments (L.I.) and Constitutional Instruments (C.1.76), community policing, client care, professional police ethics, and report writing.

Field activities include drills, weapon training, driving, riding, swimming, public order management, radio communication, and physical training.

The Regional Training School has so far trained and graduated two batches of recruits, under the command of Chief Supt. Samuel Omari-Anim.

The first batch consisted of 395 male recruits, made up of seven under cadets and 388 general recruits.

On 21^st February 2024, the second batch of 187 male recruits, made up of 152 general recruits and 35 under cadets passed out at a spectacular ceremony in Kenyase No.1.

_{New recruits from the Ahafo Police Training School}

The ceremony culminated months of rigorous training, resilience, determination and what the recruits described as “a land of no walking, only running”.

This brings the total number of trainees to 582 recruits.

The training school has also trained 1,222 community protection assistants in batches and trained private security personnel for external organisations.

Alumni have excelled in various specialised units nationwide, contributing significantly to maintaining law and order across the nation.

The Regional Police Training School aims to expand its facilities and play a pivotal role in shaping competent, ethical, and community-oriented law enforcement officers for the future.

Aside from its core employees, the training school also employs about 20 civilian employees from Kenyase No. 1.

Newmont’s Foundation in Ahafo was established in May 2008 following two years of extensive but fruitful engagement with traditional leaders and the Ahafo Social Responsibility Forum (ASRF), as a mechanism to manage its sustainable community development commitment to its ten host communities.

The forum is made up of representatives of traditional authorities, local government, Newmont, youth groups and other interest groups in the communities.

Newmont contributes US$1 per ounce of gold sold and 1 per cent of its net profit to the foundation annually.

The fund has so far accrued over GH¢178.9 million, out of which 190 infrastructural projects have been completed and handed over to the communities, in addition to other non-infrastructural projects and educational benefits to the people in Ahafo.