The Minister of Education, Hon Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum
The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Hon Samuel Abu Jinapor
The Western Regional Minister, Hon Kwabena Okyere Darko Mensah
The Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources and Member of
Parliament for Tarkwa Nsuaem Constituency, Hon George Mireku-Duker
The Chairman of the University Council, Dr S. S. Yirenkyi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr Sulemanu Koney
The President of Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr Joshua Mortoti
The Chairman, Chamber of Mines TEF Governing Board, Dr Stephen Ndede
The Municipal Chief Executive, TNMA, Hon Benjamin Kessie
Principal Officers
Members of Convocation
Managers and Executives of Mining and Allied Companies
Nananom
Distinguished Invited Guests
Members of the Media
Ladies and Gentlemen
It is with great pleasure that I welcome all of you to the inauguration of the Faculty of Mining and Minerals Technology Block. On behalf of the University of Mines and Technology, I would like to convey our appreciation to the Ghana Chamber of Mines for funding this project and ensuring that the project comes to a successful completion.
The Chamber of Mines Tertiary Education Fund (GCM-TEF) was launched in 2019 with the aim of helping to build the needed human resource capital for the mining industry. The first phase of the fund, that is the initial five years, with an expected amount of about $2.0 M, was signed-off for the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT), Tarkwa, the premier mining institution in Ghana, to aid in producing high calibre mining professionals for the local industry and beyond.
It is clear that this support has become a game changer for UMaT with visible and tangible benefits to the University, and good publicity for the Chamber. Some of the key ingredients of this package include:
- A Smart Classroom has been built for virtual lectures;
- Research funds to nine lecturers to undertake various research of relevance to the mining industry and/or Ghana;
- Grants to twelve postgraduate students to embark on their thesis research of relevance to the mining industry;
- Scholarships for ninety-six undergraduate students to support their education and these students also benefit from internships; and
- Industrial retooling for twenty-two lecturers in various mining companies.
Today, it is about the inauguration of the Chamber of Mines Mining and Minerals Faculty Block, for which UMaT is grateful. It is on record that this support from GCM has been one of the most impactful programmes since the University was established.
Mr Chairman, the original idea from the Chamber was that, after the initial five years the money accruing would be disbursed to other institutions of higher learning. However, looking at the size and number of students in the bigger universities under consideration, distributing funds may reduce the impact and visibility of the support.
Looking at the level of transformation witnessed in UMaT during this first phase, I propose that the funds for the second phase of the project be earmarked for UMaT for it to be utilised in developing a ‘Centre for Mining and Minerals Education’. This Centre will house a materials testing laboratory, mining laboratories and simulators that can create virtual reality of most mining and processing operations. In these days when student numbers have gone beyond what mining companies can comfortably take on for internship, this centre will support training of the next generation of engineers.
Once again, I say a very big thank you to the Chamber for their unflinching support to the University in various forms and it is our expectation that UMaT and the Chamber will continue to build on this great relationship for future initiatives.
Thank you all and welcome once again.
