The Ghana Institute of Geoscientists (GhIG) said it was instrumental in the quest to address environmental issues threatening the country’s ecological balance.
According to the institution’s national general secretary, Crisler Akwei Ankrah, graduate student members have the potential and skills to change the discourse on environmental management.
He made this known during the 2022 job fair organized by the Department of Earth Sciences at Yiri Lodge, University of Ghana, Legon Campus.
“This, we believe, will go a long way to complete but may not be the complete panacea for the degrading act and irresponsible management of our environment and the exploitation of our natural resources in particular.
“We believe that with the release of the Geosciences Act, we will be in a better position to send people like you [students] there to execute the agenda of taking care of our exploration, our exploitation and the management of our environmental regime,” he said on Wednesday, July 20.
The institution is undergoing a strategic restructuring regarding its mandate and the legal regime which will strengthen the will to regulate the practice of geosciences, the development and the welfare of its members.
He disclosed that the Ghana Institution of Geoscientists will, in the near future, submit a draft Geosciences Bill to the Attorney General’s office for consideration and undergo all necessary due process for subsequent approval by the Legislature.
“We are at the draft stage of our law and it will be completed, and it is currently being reviewed by various stakeholders and at different stages as well as the full membership and will soon be submitted to the Attorney General for consideration , and then eventually become an instrument that allows the GhIG to act according to its mandate,” he added.
The career fair creates an avenue for continuing and final year students to learn, interact and have first-hand information from industry players in the country.
Among other things, the event is also part of the plans to further equip students with skills, well-balanced training theoretically, practically and professionally.
Global Mining-Tech Company, representing Imdex Limited, Edward Adatsi encouraged students to hone their presentation skills and desire to seize opportunities when they arise
He concluded by sharing a touching story of how he landed his current job after school amid a severe unemployment crisis.
“If you are not ready to take an opportunity, you will not even get a job, because jobs are now hard to find. I have a background in geology and have completed a masters program in engineering geological. [after school], Imdex came calling, the jobs weren’t there. I said to myself, I am a graduate, I can do presentations, so why not? He shared.
The job fair was organized under the auspices of the School of Physical and Mathematical Sciences (UG) with the sponsorship of Azumah Resources Limited (ARL), Intertek Minerals Ghana Limited (IMGL), Sahara Natural Resources (SNR) , Ankrah and Associates Ltd (A&A ), Schlumberger and the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).
The aforementioned companies took the opportunity to express their deep appreciation to the Department of Earth Sciences for the graduates it produces each year.