Dr. Carol Serwaa Donkor, The Coordinator of the National Alternative Employment and Livelihood Programme (NAELP) has on Monday, 20th February, 2023 called on the Ghana Chamber of Mines to collaborate with government through her outfit in creating visible projects that will make lasting impact in mining communities and the country as a whole.
The Cordinator acknowleged and applauded the various projects undertaken by the Chamber of Mines and other mining companies to contribute to the lives of mining communities. However, she was of the view that a more lasting impact will be made and felt, if the Chamber and Mining companies act collaboratively with NAELP to put together resources to create a bigger project that can absorb a huge number of the youth in employment.
She also declared NAELP’s interest in shaping the Corporate Social Responsibility initiatives of mining companies to align with government’s priorities to making sure that the impact made with CSR stays.
Dr. Carol Donkor also submitted to the the CEO of the Chamber of Mines, the need to highlight their Corporate Social Responsibility activities which falls in line with government’s agenda in placing the Mining industry in a better light than it is now.
In line with making the impact visible, Dr. Carol disclosed her outfit’s intention of holding a Mining Impact/CSR Expo which she explained will bring together players in the industry and provide exhibition spaces for Mining companies to showcase decades of investment and impact in the communities.
She hoped that NAELP can leverage on the weight of the Chamber to deepen collaboration at the highest level.
The CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Dr. Sulemanu Koney warmly welcomed the ideas and ideals of NAELP saying that “finding alternative livelihoods is a major avenue to contribute to national development. It is such a great work you are doing and we are more than willing to collaborate with you to make this impact”
He however noted that there is the need to think through the demand areas of the mining sector and skew projects in that direction to yield better results, adding that the first point of call should be researching to know the availability of demand, what is needed and what can be done to multiply these resources.
He exemplified the new Mining and Minerals Technology Faculty block donated to the George Paa Grant University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa by the Chamber of Mines as a good place to start with the need for research on demands in the sector.
The CEO opined that there is also the need to understand the relationship between mining and the non-mineral resource and find linkages that will help come up with projects that can contribute massive impact in the mining communities and the country.
