Association of Chiefs on Whose Lands GREL Operates (ACLANGO) held an annual general meeting on Saturday, February 10, 2024. The meeting, which took place at the association’s secretariat at Agona Nkwanta, had in attendance the Chairman of ACLANGO and Paramount Chief of Lower Dixcove Traditional Area, Nana Kwesi Agyemang IX, Awulae Attibrukusu III, Vice Chairman of ACLANGO, and Paramount Chief of Lower Axim Traditional Area, Awulae Agyefi Kwame II, paramount chief of Nsein Traditional Area. Obrempon Hima Dekyi, paramount chief of Upper Dixcove; Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan II and Awulae Amihere Kpanyile II, Paramount Chiefs of Gwira and Eastern Nzema Traditional Areas, respectively; and Paramount Queen Mothers of Traditional Councils.
The well-attended meeting also had Divisional Chiefs and Odikros from ACLANGO communities in Ghana’s Western, Central and Eastern regions.
In his welcome address, Nana Kwesi Agyeman IX thanked the GREL management for their immense support of Nananom in the Company’s operational area communities over the years. He noted that GREL has supported the communities through numerous CSR projects, scholarships, and skills development.
On behalf of Nananom, he expressed profound gratitude to GREL for paying the maiden Concession Fee to Traditional Stools and Communities within the state land on which the Company operates. On the CSR Projects constructed by GREL, he urged communities to adopt a maintenance culture and maintain existing projects for longevity. He also appealed to Nananom to release lands to GREL for community CSR farms since it will help communities to be self-reliant and not always rely on GREL for all their social amenities.
In his remarks, the Managing Director, Mr Thierry Cauchy, commended Nananom for the healthy relationship between ACLANGO and GREL and their willingness to arbitrate and settle disputes involving GREL and the communities. He assured them GREL would continue to be committed to impacting its operational communities through CSR projects and initiatives.
He recounted some of the CSR projects and initiatives, such as Phase 2 of the community water project at Old Subri, Adjumako, and Mpatase, the 10-seater KVIP at Komanfokrom, the 10-seater washroom and water project for Abura GREL Basic, the repainting of Abura GREL Basic School, accommodation support for Nsuaem Polyclinic, road maintenance support for Awodua, Abura, Egyambra, Dixcove, Abrem, Eguafo, and Avrebo, and annual Kundum support, the distribution of 1000 pieces of school uniforms and bags in some operational communities, and scholarship awards to 24 brilliant but needy students.
Awulae Agyefi Kwame also lauded GREL for the provision of relief items to flood victims in Ahanta-West and Nzema-East municipalities in July 2023, especially when NADMO and the District Assemblies had no supplies to support the victims. He thanked the current management for introducing the concession fee and enabling Nananom to meet some of the community’s requirements. He also hinted that some association members would be selected to visit the President’s office to discuss their unpaid royalties, and he pleaded with GREL to support them with transport when the time comes. He concluded that GREL should give its scholarship beneficiaries a quota of the National Service vacancies.
In his remarks, Awulae Angama Tu-Agyan appealed to GREL Management to consider an increase in the number of scholarship recipients from two (2) per traditional area to four (4) and pleaded with Management to make it mandatory for scholarship beneficiaries to have their National Service with GREL as a means of giving back to the Company for sponsoring their tertiary education.
The Dadwen Chief, Nana Kwadu, also suggested that ACLANGO establish a publicity team to publicise the good works of GREL and how they are transforming lives in communities.
