MINING COMPANY TRAINS 141 YOUTH (PAGE 42, NOV 8, 2010)

ADAMUS Resources Limited, in collaboration with the Australian High Commission, has trained a total of 141 youth from 15 communities in the company’s operational areas in the Ellembelle District and the Nzema East Municipality in the Western Region under its youth capacity building training programme.
The company, which is developing the Nzema Gold Project, has chosen youth education and skills development as part of its social responsibility, since it believe that youth education and skills development are key bedrock of socio-economic development of any nation as they help build the foundation for poverty alleviation in the long run.
The company has collaborated with the Australian High Commission to spend over US$ 100,000 to train the youth in its mining communities in carpentry, welding and fabrication mechanical, plumbing, masonry and electrical installation since 2008.
Fifty youth have completed a six-month training under the third phase of the programme and have passed out at the Kikam Technical Training Institute in the Ellembelle District.
At the graduation ceremony, the acting General Manager of Adamus Resources Limited, Mr Attie Roux, said about 60 per cent of the 141 trained were self-employed and 24 per cent were working with various organisations, including the company and its sub-contractors, while the remaining were either continuing their education or looking for jobs.
“This has been a very successful programme and the company plans to seek accreditation for the programme to ensure future graduates get recognition in seeking jobs and in furthering their education,” he said.
Mr Rous added that the company saw youth education and technical skills development as sustainable investment.
The general manager stressed that the company was committed to broadening its engagements in development projects and capacity building in the local communities, adding that technical skills development would be one of the key areas of funding to build a sustainable legacy for the company and the youth in the mining communities.
Mr Roux said although Adamus Resources was yet to commence production, the company had spent about US$290,000 since 2007 on social responsibility, community development and donations.
The Australian High Commissioner to Ghana, Mr William Williams, said the commission had a legacy of investing in people and that the skills the beneficiaries had acquired would help them contribute to the national economy.
He said his outfit would continue to invest in more of such programmes to ensure the training of many youth in the country.
The paramount chief of the Nzema East Traditional Area, Awulae Amihere Kpanyili, appealed to the company and the Australian High Commission to continue to sponsor more of such training programmes and also assist the communities in their development efforts to ensure mutual relationship and co-existence.