The CEO of the Minerals Commission Martin Kwaku Ayisi, has commended Ghanaian skillmen in the mining sector as some of the best sought after globally.
According to Mr. Ayisi this reputation could not be achieved without an initial and most importantly, investments made by individuals like Dr. Sam Jonah in training the second generation of Ghanaian miners. Notably, he highlighted that, apart from South Africa, Ghana stands out as the only African country where major mines are predominantly run by Ghanaians, showcasing the country’s prowess in the industry.
“Ghanaian skill men in the area of mining, is one of the best sought after in the world. Take out South Africa, unlike all other African countries, all the major mines are being run by Ghanaians”
“And I want to praise Dr Sam Jonah for that. Because it was him who trained the second generation miners we have now”
Using Iduapriem mine, a subsidiary of AngloGold Ashanti, as an example, Mr. Ayisi explained that from the managing directors to the least position in the company is occupied by Ghanaians, which was not the case a decade ago.
Mr. Ayisi further emphasized the critical need for technical skills in the mining sector and lamented that Ghana lags behind Zimbabwe due to its apprenticeship program initiated under the late President Robert Mugabe. He urged stakeholders to take Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) programs seriously, emphasizing the high demand for engineering courses in the industry.
“One of the most important skills needed in the mining field is technical skills and that is where we have a problem. This is where Zimbabwe beat Ghana because they have started this apprenticeship programme under the late President Mugabe. Hence it is important we take the TVET program seriously”
The Minerals Commission CEO listed various engineering disciplines such as Health and Safety Engineering, Mining Engineering, Mineral Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Geological Engineering, and Electrical Engineering as areas with significant employment prospects in the mining sector, urging more students to consider these fields for faster employment opportunities.
In addition to recognizing Ghana’s dominance in mining schools worldwide, Mr. Ayisi highlighted the importance of developing technical expertise to meet industry demands effectively.
He underscored the need for concerted efforts to bridge the skills gap and ensure Ghana maintains its position as a global leader in the mining sector.
“When the big conglomerates come to Africa, it is the Ghanaians they reach out to first and you go to Western Australia there are several Ghanaians working there, so our mining engineers are one of the finest in the world”
“A little over 30 countries where large scale mining is taking place, you will find Ghanaian engineers. Can I tell you this, the Managing Director in Newmont Peru is a Ghanaian. You go to many of the mining schools in the world offering postgraduate, Ghanaians dominate, he joyously told Dr. Randy Abbey on Metro TV’s flagship program, Good Morning Ghana Show.