First-ever corrosion map for Ghana and Africa launched

As a proactive measure to raise awareness on corrosion and its critical effects on the environment, Corrosion Institute Ghana has launched the first-ever Corrosion Map for Ghana and Africa.

The Corrosion Map will help identify how corrosive our current or proposed locations are.

Speaking at the launch, the President of Corrosion Institute Ghana Mr Patrick Eshun said, the map will also help recommend which type of corrosion prevention or control materials/ procedure to apply when building and how often to do so in order to achieve our maintenance goals etc.

He explained corrosion as a chemical or electrochemical reaction between a material usually a metal, and its environment that produces a deterioration of the material and its properties.

He noted that corrosion has still been a challenge in our daily lives, affecting assets, infrastructure, machinery, economy and even health.

Although it has been left unattended to, Mr Eshun said its effects could be devastating to individuals, asset owners, firms, nations and the world at large.

According to him, NACE International’s Impact study puts the global cost of corrosion at 2.5 trillion dollars per annum, representing 3 to 4 per cent GDP of the world’s industrialised nations.

Sadly, he said well-trained and experienced corrosion professionals are very limited in number, adding that only 20 percent of qualified members are 40 years of age or younger and almost 50 percent are 51 years of age or older.

Mr Eshun explained that, ”if these older professionals retire, there is a risk of a large amount of this knowledge being lost. It is against this backdrop that Corrosion Ghana Institute Ghana (CorrIGh) was set up to undertake Research, Consultancy and Training including NACE Training here in Ghana.”

“Hitherto, the crucial role of corrosion prevention or control in organisations value chain has often times been considered only as a last resort or ignored completely until danger calls,” he said.

Mr Eshun also said the Institute will train students on corrosion, calling on all donors and corporate institutions to support the course.

For his part, a Lecturer at the Accra Technical University College, Prof Amwi Acakpovi said it is a good initiative and therefore the school will give CorrIGh all the support needed to make it a success.

He also underscored the need to train the wider populace especially student about corrosion knowing the negative effects it has on the economy.

The President of Corrosion Institute South Africa (CorrISA), Creg Combrink who launched the Corrosion Map for Ghana and Africa also pledged his support for the imitative