A Group Picture of the Dignitaries and the Conference Participants
The Ghana Institution of Geoscientists has held its Annual Conference on the theme “Geoscience, Environmental Stewardship and Society” at the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa. The Conference attracted about 70 participants from around the country.
In a speech read on behalf of the Vice Chancellor of UMaT, the Pro Vice Chancellor, Assoc Prof Victor Temeng said Geoscience was an area that addressed all issues relating to earth systems, including the earth, oceans, and the atmosphere. According to him, the major applications of geoscience were exploration and responsible development of natural resources that included oil, gas, minerals, construction aggregate and water, preservation of the natural environment, restoration from environmental damage, and mitigation of geohazards such as earthquakes and landslides.
The Vice Chancellor believed that addressing the issues of the environment and developing solutions to problems affecting the earth, geoscientists acted as stewards of the earth. He further said that though much had been learnt about the earth through geosciences, much more was yet to be discovered, especially as new problems faced society, such as global climate change, advances in technology, and exhaustion of energy and raw material supplies.
The Ghana Institute of Geoscientists is a non-profit organisation which was established in the 1980s as the Geological Society of Ghana which was dedicated to the advancement of Geosciences. The institution which has a membership of about six hundred is focused on the regulation of the practice of geoscience; promotion of the awareness of geosciences; contribution to the study of geoscience, contribution to the development of the natural resources; and the promotion of exchange of ideas and information in geosciences among its members and other professionals.
On his part, the President of the Institution, Prof Daniel Kwadwo Asiedu said Ghana was yet to benefit from geoscientists as they were hardly consulted on issues of the environment, which is a pivot to human survival. He said many of the geoscientists in the country were not being used fully, although according him, there were a lot of benefits to be derived from the profession.
According to him, the reputation of the institution was built on the back of many years of commitment to research in environment and earth for the purpose of helping the country to reach the apex of its development in terms geosciences.
Prof Daniel Kwadwo Asiedu called on policy makers to formulate policies which would largely require all citizens to make use of geoscientists in their dealings with the earth and that of the environment.
Source: Paul Y. A. Yeboah, Assistant Registrar and Head, University Relations Office
