Gold Fields Foundation Envisions Turning Tarkwa into Ghana’s Medical Hub After Depletion of Gold Deposits
Gold Fields Ghana, through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, has plans to position the Tarkwa township as Ghana’s medical hub following the depletion of gold deposits (end of life of Mine) in the host communities.
Speaking exclusively to NorvanReports on the sidelines of the 9th Sustainability & Social Investment (SSI) Awards 2025, Executive Secretary of the Foundation, Abdel Razak Yakubu, stated that the company is taking a long-term view of Tarkwa’s future beyond mining.
“The gold in Tarkwa will definitely get exhausted, and when that happens, how will Tarkwa be remembered? Gold Fields wants Tarkwa to be remembered as the medical hub for Ghana when the gold is no longer there,” he remarked.
Shift in Strategic Focus: From Sports to Health
According to Mr Yakubu, the Foundation is reorienting its development priorities toward the health sector after years of major investments in sports, including its sponsorship of the Ghana Black Stars and Medeama SC, as well as the construction of the TNA Stadium in Tarkwa.
Health, he stressed, will be the Foundation’s “topmost priority” in 2026.
The Foundation has already rolled out key interventions under its Expanded Access to Quality Health Programme, designed to uplift healthcare delivery in host communities.
“Together with the community, we’ve come up with that idea, where we are equipping the host community clinics and training health professionals in the area,” he noted. “We are also designing a health professional motivation programme, so that when health personnel are posted to Tarkwa and its environs, they know Gold Fields has a programme to take care of them.”
A fully developed medical hub in Tarkwa is expected to deliver broad social and economic benefits, including enhanced quality of healthcare, job creation, retention of medical expertise, and the potential to attract medical tourism, thereby boosting foreign exchange earnings for the country.
Foundation Sweeps Eight Awards at SSI Awards 2025
For its longstanding contributions across education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture and infrastructure, the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation swept eight awards at the 2025 SSI Awards, including the top honour – Sustainability & Social Investment Foundation/Company of the Year.
List of awards won:
- Sustainability & Social Investment (SSI) Foundation/Company of the Year
- Sustainability & Social Investment (SSI) Team of the Year
- Best Company in Supporting Sports Development – TNA Stadium Project
- Best Company in Supporting Health Facilities – Group Legacy Programme in Health
- Best Company in Clean Water Provision – Small Town Water Systems for Badukrom, Huniso, Akoon and Fiaseman SHS
- Best Health Awareness Programme – Community Medical Outreach Initiatives
- Best Company in Supporting Education – Scholarship Programme
- Personality Award (Sustainability Professional of the Year)
The Personality Award (Sustainability Professional of the Year) was received by Mr Yakubu.
Mr Yakubu was appointed Executive Secretary of Gold Fields Ghana Foundation in February 2023 to oversee the activities of the Foundation, ensuring delivery of socio-economic development programmes and shared value projects for host communities in line with the mandate and vision of the Foundation.
Until his appointment, he was Manager of Community Affairs and Stakeholder Engagement (CASE) at Damang Mine, from August 2019 to Feb 2023.
He also served as the Community Affairs Superintendent at the Goldfields Tarkwa Mine from July 2012 to September 2013.
A Legacy of Community Investment
Gold Fields Ghana established the Community Development Fund in 2002 to help finance development initiatives, projects and programmes in the host communities of the Tarkwa and Damang Mines.
In 2004, the fund was officially registered as the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation.
The Foundation has a formalised governance structure and funding mechanism. It is the first foundation to be set up by a mining company in Ghana. The Foundation focuses on five key areas, namely: education, health, water and sanitation, agriculture and infrastructure.
About the SSI Awards
The Sustainability & Social Investment (SSI) Awards event is Ghana’s biggest running and most prestigious event for recognition of excellence in Sustainability, Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG); and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR).
The event has become the benchmark for recognizing and honoring entities that go above and beyond in their commitment to sustainability, responsible business practices, and impactful social investments.
This year’s edition, themed “Sustainable Growth for All: Balancing Economic Progress, Social Equity and Environmental Stewardship”, underscores the urgent need for development models that not only drive economic advancement but also ensure social inclusion and environmental responsibility.
