The three months artisanal training programme organised by Newmont Ghana Gold Limited (NGGL) under Newmont Africa trained the beneficiaries in welding, fabrication, scaffolding, steel bending, carpentry, masonry, equipment, and crane operations.

The beneficiaries were drawn from the 10 host communities comprising Kenyasi Number One, Kenyasi Number Two, Ntotroso, Gyedu and Wamahinso hosting the NGGL Ahafo South Mine in the Asutifi North District and Susuanso, Yamfo, Afrisipakrom, Terchire and Adrobaa in the Tano North Municipality hosting the company’s Ahafo North Project.

Additionally, 96 artisans would also be trained in batches of 24 each with 48 starting their training in carpentry and masonry by the end of March 2023 whereas preparations were underway for the equipment and crane operation trainees to commence theirs later this year to bring the total number to 168 trainees.

Addressing a gathering at a joint maiden matriculation and graduation ceremony, Mr Andries Havenga, Newmont Africa, Ahafo North Project Director said the training Programme targeted local artisans from the host communities to enhance their capacity to meet the required standard and approved certifications for delivering work at Newmont.

He said it would also create future opportunities for them within the extractive industry, saying when construction work begins at the Ahafo North Project, the Company would be sourcing for skills from the trained community people because they had been well-trained and equipped to offer support.

Mr Joseph Danso, Senior Manager, Sustainability and External Relations, NGGL Ahafo North Project said over the Company over the years had established training programmes targeted at the youth to develop the human resource capacities of the host communities.

He mentioned some programmes such as Apprenticeship, Learnership, Graduate Training, Female Top-Up, Artisanal Small-Scale Mining (ASSM) Alternative Livelihood Training and now the Construction Worker Training programme.

Mr Danso said the Apprenticeship Training programme had trained 159 people, 134 employed with Newmont and 10 employed with contractors since its establishment in 2015.

He added the Graduate Training since its inception in 2018 had trained 35 people with 21 graduated while the ‘Subika’ Underground Learnership had enrolled 20 people with 10 graduating and nine employed since 2018.

Mr Danso indicated, the Female Top-Up initiative since it commenced to build the capacity of women to increase competitive advantage in employment opportunities had enrolled 30 females, 29 graduated and five employed.

He continued the ASSM Alternative Livelihood Programme which began in 2022 had enrolled 24 people who were trained in welding and fabrication, saying all had graduated and eight were employed with other institutions.

Mr George Boakye, the Ahafo Regional Minister advised the youth in the region to use dialogue in addressing their grievances, saying that fostered peaceful co-existence rather than demonstrations which created confusion and impeded progress.

Mr Emmanuel Amankwah, a representative of the graduands urged the youth in the beneficiary communities to desist from taking illegal drugs, saying abstention from the habit of consuming illegal drugs would make them healthy to pass Newmont health test if there was the opportunity to be employed by the Company.