AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine has launched a groundbreaking nationwide business exposure tour for local entrepreneurs.
The initiative is part of the company’s Business Acceleration & Sustainability (BAST) programme, aimed at building the capacity of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in the region.
The BAST initiative forms a crucial component of AngloGold Ashanti’s broader Enterprise Development Programme, which falls under the company’s ambitious 10-year Social and Economic Development Plan (SEDP). In collaboration with Absa Bank Ghana and the Mastercard Foundation, the initiative seeks to bridge the gap between potential and performance among Obuasi-based MSMEs.
Through a well-structured plan, BAST focuses on business formalisation, enhanced financial literacy, access to funding, and most significantly, practical learning through real-world exposure. So far, more than 150 local businesses have benefitted from the programme, demonstrating the strong demand and potential within the Obuasi business community.
A Tour of Business Excellence Across Ghana
Fully sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti, participating entrepreneurs have embarked on visits to leading business hubs in Accra, Kumasi, and Takoradi. These exposure tours have offered them a rare opportunity to interact with experienced entrepreneurs, observe successful business models, and learn about the practical strategies that drive growth in various sectors.
According to Mr. Daniel Arthur Bentum, Economic Development Superintendent of AngloGold Ashanti, the exposure tour was developed after a diagnostic assessment revealed major operational gaps among local businesses in Obuasi. “The exposure tours have opened the eyes of our entrepreneurs in Obuasi to know how others started, their challenges and how they succeeded in surmounting those challenges,” he said.
The tours have also provided an opportunity for participants to benchmark their operations and identify new approaches that could lead to improved productivity and competitiveness in their own enterprises.
Strategic Partnerships Driving Sustainable Development
Key to the success of the BAST initiative is the strong partnership between AngloGold Ashanti, Absa Bank Ghana, and the Mastercard Foundation. Mr. Kwadwo Berko Appaw, Monitoring and Evaluation Manager for the Absa-Mastercard collaboration, emphasized the transformative potential of Obuasi-based enterprises.
“Many businesses in Obuasi have great potential but need the right kind of support to grow. With proper training, financial assistance, and business exposure, these MSMEs can thrive and become independent economic pillars.”
Mr. Kwadwo Berko Appaw
The initiative is not merely a training or funding mechanism; it is a comprehensive strategy to nurture sustainable businesses that can create jobs, boost local production, and contribute meaningfully to the Ghanaian economy.
Participants have described the experience as transformative. Mr. Solomon Amoako Acheampong, CEO of Golden Land Logistics, called the tour an “eye-opener,” praising AngloGold Ashanti for providing young entrepreneurs with the tools to “learn, unlearn, and relearn.”
For Rev. Father Emmanuel Sarpong, CEO of Semperi Paratus Farms, the visits to successful companies that began as small ventures were particularly inspiring. “We’ve embraced new ways of doing things, especially in using technology to enhance productivity,” he noted.
These testimonies reflect a growing awareness among Obuasi entrepreneurs of the broader opportunities available to them—and a readiness to adapt, innovate, and scale.
Through the BAST initiative and its other enterprise development programmes, AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine continues to show unwavering commitment to local economic empowerment. By equipping MSMEs with knowledge, skills, and real-world business insights, the company is paving the way for long-term, inclusive growth in Obuasi and beyond.
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