The Ghana Chamber of Mines has launched a Tertiary Education Fund in an effort to help build the needed human resource capital for the mining industry.
Supported by stakeholders in the industry, producing member companies of the Chamber are expected to collectively contribute Four Hundred Thousand dollars annually to the fund for the next five years.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Chamber, Suleman Koney said the move will enable the country churn out high caliber of mining professionals for the local industry and beyond.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines Tertiary Education Fund will specifically apply to supporting teaching and learning, research of faculty and post-graduate students related to industry needs and application of automated systems as well as innovations in the mining sector.
The fund will also cover bursary for under-graduate students according to industry needs as well as industry internships.
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines Suleman Koney indicated that the Chamber seeks to put Ghana on a higher pedestal with regards to human capital development.
The President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Eric Asubonteng stressed the chambers readiness to partner government to deliver on initiatives that will bring development and progress to host communities.
He was optimistic that the fund will go a long way to train the needed human resource for the mining sector.
The University of Mines and Technology, UMaT will be the major beneficiary of the fund over the next five (5) years.
The Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Prof. S. Y Kuma express gratitude to the Chamber for the support.
He said while government support to Tertiary Education is dwindling, it is encouraging to see industry players take up the initiative to lend support.
He pledged the university’s commitment to put the funds to good use.
The Ghana Chamber Tertiary Education Fund has has Stephen Ndede as Chairman.
The members are Michael Vander Merwe, Joshua Mortoti, Ken Ewuntomah and Irene Yeboah. The rest are Akwasi Amoako-Kankam, Lawrencia Awuah, Prof. Grace Ofori Sarpong and Prof. S. Y Kuma.