Don't be part of the "African-time" syndrome

Takoradi, Sept 14, GNA - Ms Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has advised media practitioners to be conscious of time and avoid lateness to functions. She said the culture of many people attending functions late including those in the media in the name of "African punctuality" was negative, retards progress and is un-courteous.

Ms Aryee said this at a press soiree the chamber organised for media practitioners in the Western Region on Wednesday that saw most of media practitioners coming in late.

"Lets get a new time culture by valuing time and avoid attending functions late. Good time management is essential to any development agenda".

Ms. Aryee said developed countries had learnt to manage their time well and Ghanaians must adopt this habit because it is beneficial. Some of the latecomers, who were mostly from private radio stations and arrived when the function was about to end, explained to their colleagues that they had to prepare and read bulletins before they left their offices.

Workers advised to demand training instead of salary increases

Takoradi, Sept 14, GNA - Miss Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, has advised Ghanaian workers to negotiate for more training and capacity building instead of clamouring for salary increases.

She said training to acquire additional skills would last and cannot be taken away from the individual but financial improvement would loose its value over a short period of time.

Ms Aryee said this at a pres soiree the chamber organised for media practitioners in the western Region at Takoradi on Wednesday. "Training is more sustaining and can be used to improve one's economic and social status," she said.

Ms Aryee said the Chamber was holding discussions with the government and other stakeholders to revive the goldsmith craft in all mining communities to generate employment.

"The Chamber will collaborate with the government to ensure the availability of raw materials for goldsmiths while craftsmen are given training in new alloying methods."

Ms Aryee said goldsmiths would be exposed to new designs that could attract the attention of tourists and also boost the local use of gold and other minerals.

Ms Aryee said mining companies have been recycling their industrial wastes including water for re-use to safeguard the environment. "The chamber expects district assemblies to learn from the mining companies on the appropriate ways of recycling their wastes for the good of society."

She said some mined-out pits could be used as water reservoirs while others converted for aquaculture as part of the Sustainable Alternative Livelihood Projects (SALP) for communities. The Chamber would explore the use of bamboo that is so abundant in the country as part of the projects. Ms Aryee said the chamber was not against small-scale mining and every effort was being made to incorporate them into the chamber.

Ms Aryee said illegal mining popularly known, as "galamsey" was a major challenge facing mining companies and discussions were ongoing between the Ministry of Mines and the Minerals Commission to find a solution to it.

She suggested that illegal miners should be encouraged to register to undertake small-scale mining instead of engaging in "galamsey". Ms Aryee called for the development of other mineral deposits such as kaolin, clay and gravels among others in the country. She said value must be added to such natural resources to derive marble, tiles and other development oriented products from them. Ms Aryee noted with concern that presently clay, gravels, sand among others were being "exploited freely without any supervision, reclamation and regulation".

Earlier in the day, Ms Aryee met members of the Western Regional House of Chiefs at Sekondi to discuss the operations of mining companies in the region and the menace of "galamsey" operation and its adverse effects on the environment and the health of the operator.