The George Grant University of Mines and Technology in Tarkwa in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality in the Western Region, UMAT, has held its sixth Annual ALUMaT lecture.
These lectures, which commenced in October 2012, was to proffer ideas, solutions and recommendations to problems facing the mining, petroleum and allied industries as well as the economy and development of UMat, the Western Region, Ghana, Africa and the world at large.
The sixth edition of the annual lecture thoroughly explored how investing in engineering, research, and education in UMaT can be a road-map for multiplying Ghana’s mineral wealth.
The guest speaker, Dr. Winfred Asibey Bonsu, a Geostatistician with Goldfields Australia Pty Limited highlighted the need for a deliberate state investment into research to produce engineers who will replace the aging.
He explained that a “sum of 1.7 trillion dollars is invested into research and development all over the world. 80 percent of the amount is contributed by only 10 countries. Without research, there is nowhere to go. [Ghana] need to be involved in research which will lead us to find things we haven’t found in this country. We have so much buried underneath the earth or the sea. It’s only research and development that can get us going to where we want to go as a country”.
Dr. Asibey Bonsu, however, stressed on the need for collaboration between government and other institutions to ensure that the required information on the mineral wealth of the state is provided.
He stressed that “the responsibility is not only on government. It should be partnership and collaboration. So industry together with government and university [UMaT] should do this job, but the government should be the referee to encourage the various aspects to get this information.”
Before he could take his seat, Mr. Asibey Bonsu underscored the need for the establishment of a diasporan research fund to support Umat in research activities. This he believes will help the university get up to date data on new ideas and innovations to continue remaining the university of choice for mining in West Africa and beyond.
Previous ALUMaT lectures with well-renowned and seasoned personalities has touched on the role of UMat in the economic development of Ghana, the future of mining and mining communities and technological innovations among others.
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By: Obrempong Yaw Ampofo/citinewsroom.com/Ghana
