By
Rashid Mbugri, GNA,
Nyankpala N/R, Sept 19, GNA – Mr Ahmed Dasana
Nantogmah, the Director, External Relations and Communications of the Ghana
Chamber of Mines has advised students of the University for Development (UDS)
to use technology to research to improve on their skills and knowledge.
This, he said would make them more relevant as
well as help them get other better opportunities within the value chains in the
mining industry.
Mr Nantogmah gave the advice at a stakeholder
engagement with the staff and students of the Faculty of Natural Resources and
Environment, here at UDS in Nyankpala.
It was to provide a broader consultation and
education to the students on the importance of Mining and Development.
He said there were other sectors in mining
where students could focus on to improve and enhance on their skills to get
other opportunities within the value chains of mining to prevent job losses.
Mr Nantogmah explained that the forum was to
help the students know how mining could be used as a catalyst for development,
understand the basis of mining and to also inculcate into them the need for
responsible mining and efficient utilization of natural resources in the
country.
He said students are the future leaders and
stressed the need to educate them on mining and how to use the natural
resources responsibly to make Ghana a better place.
Mr Nantogmah, making a presentation on “Mining
and Development said the Chamber sought to regulate and promote environmentally
and socially responsible mining activities in the country.
He said the chamber was working with the Water
Resources Commission (WRC) and the Forestry Commission to help enhance
effective regulations, monitoring and supervision of its licenced member
companies within the country to effectively conserve and protect the
environment.
Mr Nantogmah said the mining sector provides
more revenue than oil and urged government to strongly embrace its activities
since it was one of the leading factors that could contribute to sustainable
economic development in the country.
He said, in 2017, mining was the leading tax
payer contributing about Ghc 2.160 billion to the Ghana Revenue Authority
(GRA), representing 16.3 per cent of GRA’s Total Direct Domestic taxes.
Mr Nantogmah said mining also accounted for 43
per cent of the country’s Gross Export Revenue in 2017.
He said the sector equally provided both
direct and indirect employment to about 10,503 citizens in 2017 as well as
financial support to communities within which the sector operates through their
Trust Funds and Foundations.
He, however, said the mining sector was faced
with some challenges which included poor development outcomes in some mining
communities as a result of the retainment of the mining receipt in the
Consolidated Fund without ploughing back the mineral royalties at adequate
proportions at the district assemblies.
He, therefore, appealed to the government to
ensure effective regulation and accountability within the districts that enjoy
the royalties.
Mr Nantogmah said the Chamber would be
donating an amount of Ghc 10,000.00 to the Dakpema Education Endowment Fund to
support education in the northern region
Dr Elliot Alhassan, the Dean of the Faculty of
Natural Resources and Environment of UDS expressed gratitude to the Chamber of
Mines and appealed to them to consider the establishment of a Ghana Chamber of
Mines Centre of Excellence in Environmental Management in UDS to facilitate
more collaboration in research leading to a better management of the
environment.
The students appealed to the Ghana Chamber of
Mines to help support the faculty with materials that would help them in their
research activities.
They said the Chamber should assist in
providing sponsorship to students to help train them to become experts in their
field of study.
GNA