Opportunities exist for skilled human capital in mining sector — MIIF CEO
Current discoveries of new minerals across Ghana present enormous opportunities for youth development in the country, Chief Executive Officer of the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), Edward Nana Yaw Koranteng, has said.
He consequently, underscored the need to build a strong human capital base to drive growth in the mining sector.
“We are looking at new mines coming on board, new minerals such as lithium, baryte, more manganese, salt, graphite, sodium and gold. So there is the need for us to have the human capital base to support the growth of the sector,” he said.
Mr Koranteng who was speaking at a media briefing on the MIIF Women from Mining Communities (WoMCoM) Scholarship Scheme in Accra, announced that 41 female students from some mining communities across the country have been selected as first batch of beneficiaries of the scholarship scheme this year.
The beneficiaries who are all female students from the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT) include 39 undergraduate students and two postgraduate students.
The initiative in partnership with UMaT and designed to support 1,000 women from mining communities over the next 10 years aims to boost female participation in the predominantly male-dominated mining industry.
Transition
The CEO said there are “conveyor belt of opportunities” awaiting scholarship beneficiaries as they transition from academia to their careers.
He explained that MIIF’s focus extends beyond the Ghanaian mining sector to the broader subregion.
“We are currently exporting talent, which is why we believe Ghana has the potential to become the continent’s hub for mining excellence.
We are developing the sector from a 360-degree perspective by focusing on every element that drives the industry—streamlining value delivery processes, enhancing human capital, supporting contractors across the value chain, and shaping government policies around local content,” Mr Koranteng said.
He expressed confidence in the sector’s positive outlook, saying “with the work we are doing and the support these scholarships provide, the future of Ghana’s mining industry looks increasingly promising.”
Equipped workforce
The Vice Chancellor of UMaT, Professor Richard Kwasi Amankwah, expressed gratitude for the support received from MIIF in building a technical training center on UMaT’s campus and the financial support for its needy students
Encouraging students to take full advantage of the opportunities available to them, he emphasised the importance of identifying problems and creating solutions to contribute to Ghana’s development.
He said Ghana was blessed with an abundance of minerals, including gold, manganese, bauxite, salt, graphite, and clay, however, the country has traditionally relied on exporting raw minerals with minimal processing.
This approach, he said, has limited the potential economic benefits that could be derived from its mineral wealth.
He said there was the need for more robust efforts in training and equipping the workforce with the necessary skills to add value to these minerals locally.
For instance, he pointed to the value addition potential of industrial salt adding that while exporting raw salt yields a certain income, producing caustic soda from it would generate five times more revenue.
Prof. Amankwah said there were some ongoing collaborations with international companies and other institutions expected to bring high-tech solutions to Ghana’s mining sector, ensuring that the country can leverage its mineral resources more effectively.
To support these efforts, he said UMaT has introduced courses and training programmes aimed at developing skilled professionals to help Ghana position itself for long-term economic growth and job creation, making its mineral resources a key driver of sustainable development.