MINING COMPANY TRAINS 50 YOUTH (PAGE 43, APRIL 26, 2010)

FIFTY people selected from communities within the catchment area of Adamus Resources Limited, a mining company undertaking the Nzema Gold Operations at Nkroful in the Western Region, are undergoing a capacity-building training programme at the Kikam Technical Institute.
The training programme, jointly funded by the Australian government and Adamus Resources Limited, is aimed at improving the beneficiaries’ employment opportunities through the acquisition of vocational skills.
Since 2007, the company has trained 91 youth under the first and second phases of the programme in plumbing, carpentry, masonry, electrical installation, mechanics and welding.
The Australian government has contributed GH¢28,830 towards the training programme, which is part of a Direct Aid Programme, a small grants programme that the Australian High Commission administers.
The Third Secretary of the Australian High Commission, Mr Ian Gould, launched the third phase of the programme on behalf of the High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr Billy Williams, at Kikam.
He said Australia was pleased to support programme in partnership with Adamus Resources Limited and the Kikam Technical Institute.
Mr Williams said Australia was committed to broadening and deepening engagement with Africa across a full spectrum of issues, including enhanced trade and commercial investments.
He said Australia had increased its development assistance to Africa by over 40 per cent to AUD$163.9 million in 2009 and 2010.
“Other areas of assistance which Australia will be extending to Africa are helping to build Africa’s human resource capacity through an expanded scholarships programme in areas of Australian expertise, such as agriculture, natural resource management, water and health, trade policy and economic governance”, he said.
Mr Williams urged the trainees to make maximum use of the opportunity given them to acquire skills to make them employable.
The General Manager of Adamus Resources Limited, Mr David McNee, said the company was committed to the training programme for the youth to advance themselves to assist their respective families and communities.
He said the mining company was working closely with the communities to ensure development in their communities.
The Ellembelle District Chief Executive, Mr Daniel Kermanbetu Eshun, stated that the training programme was the first of its kind that a company was organising for the youth in its catchment area in the district.
He urged the company to employ the trainees after the training to avoid the situation where they would become idle.
The Paramount Chief of the Nsein Traditional Area, Awulae Agyefi Kwame, said the training programme initiative was an indication that the chiefs and people within the catchment area of the company would benefit immensely from its operations.
The Principal of the Kikam Technical Institute, Mr John Appiah, said the school was happy to host the training programme.
He, however, appealed to the company to help the institute to solve its accommodation problem.