SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, DC 20549
FORM 6-K
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER
PURSUANT TO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16 OF
THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For the month of June 2003.
ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LIMITED
(Translation of Registrant's Name Into English)
Gold House, Patrice Lumumba Road
Roman Ridge, P.O. Box 2665
Accra, Ghana
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file
annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.)
Form 20-F X Form 40-F___
--
(Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the
information contained in this form is also thereby furnishing the information to
the Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of
1934.)
Yes ___ No X
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(If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the
registrant in connection with Rule 12g3-2(b): 82-_____.
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.
Date: June 25, 2003 ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LIMITED
By: /s/ Ernest Abankroh
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Name: Ernest Abankroh
Title: Company Secretary
[ASHANTI LOGO]
P R E S S R E L E A S E
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 25 JUNE 2003
ASHANTI CHIEF EXECUTIVE SAM JONAH KNIGHTED
Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited (Ashanti) is delighted to announce that Dr.
Sam Jonah, the Chief Executive Officer, is today being formally awarded a
Knighthood at St. James's Palace. This follows an announcement late last year by
the British High Commission in Ghana that Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II of
Great Britain & Northern Ireland and Head of the Commonwealth, had honoured him
with an Honorary Knighthood.
The award is in recognition of Dr. Jonah's exceptional achievements as an
African businessman, a leading business executive from the Commonwealth and an
international public figure. Under his leadership, Ashanti Goldfields, a single
mine company in 1994, has evolved to a multinational gold producer, with three
mines in Ghana and three others in Tanzania, Guinea and Zimbabwe, each being the
largest in their respective country.
As a non-British citizen, the award by Her Majesty the Queen is in the honorary
category, and Dr. Jonah will now be addressed as Mr Sam Esson Jonah, KBE.
ENDS
ENQUIRIES:
ASHANTI GOLDFIELDS COMPANY LIMITED
Kweku Awotwi, MD Responsible for Investor Relations +233 24-317-635
Corinne Gaisie: UK Representative +44-207-256-9938
GRANDFIELD (MEDIA ENQUIRIES)
Matthew Jervois +44 207-417-4170
NOTES TO EDITORS:
Ashanti Goldfields Company Limited (Ashanti) is an African-based international
gold mining and exploration group with six producing mines in four African
countries: Ghana, Guinea, Tanzania and Zimbabwe. The mines in which the Group
has interests have over 27 million ounces of proved and probable gold reserves
and Ashanti has exploration projects in eight African countries. Ashanti is
listed on four international stock exchanges.
In addition to his role as Chief Executive of Ashanti, Dr. Jonah serves on the
Business Advisory Council of the United Nations Office for Project Services
(UNOPS), the International Investment Advisory Council of the Republic of South
Africa and the
President's Investors Advisory Council in Ghana. Dr. Jonah is on
the boards of Lonmin Plc, the Commonwealth African Investment Fund (COMAFIN) and
Ecobank Transnational Incorporated (ETI). He is also a member of the United
Nation's Global Compact on governance.
Dr Jonah is a member of the African Advisory Board of the London Business
School, the governing body of the School of Oriental and African Studies of the
University of London as well as a member of the Camborne School of Mines' Trust
at the University of Exeter in the United Kingdom. He is also Chancellor of the
University of Cape Coast, in Ghana.
Dr. Jonah has received several awards and honours, including an honorary Doctor
of Science (D.Sc.) degree awarded jointly from his alma mater, the Camborne
School of Mines and the University of Exeter (UK) thus making him only the
second past student in Camborne's history to be so honoured.