Newmont Akyem Dev’t Foundation empowers youth

Story by Mudasiru Abdul Yakeen, Akyem Amanfrom

In a bid to tackle unemployment and equip young people with employable skills, the Newmont Akyem Development Foundation (NAkDeF) has successfully trained 51 young individuals from its operational areas in heavy-duty machinery operations.

The beneficiaries, hailing from communities such as Adausena, Adjenua, Afosu, and Old Abirem, underwent an intensive three-month training program at the Global Institute of Mining and Safety in Afrisipakrom, Bono Region.

The comprehensive training program, which ran from September to December 2024, covered various aspects of heavy-duty equipment operations, including dump truck, excavator, loader, forklift, dozer, and mobile crane operations.

Youth empowerment

Twenty people studied dump truck operation, 18 studied excavator operation, nine people were trained on the use of forklift, two trained on dozer operation, one on loader operation, and another one on mobile crane.

The Foundation provided GH¢727,257 funds for the training covering tuition fee, transportation, feeding, Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs), accommodation, license fees among others.

At a short ceremony held at the NAkDeF office in Akyem Amanfrom in the Eastern region, the Executive Secretary, Mr. Paul Apenu, presented certificates to the graduates, acknowledging their successful completion of the program.

In addition to their testimonials, the trainees were awarded attachment letters, license E-certifications, and credentials from the Minerals Commission, fire safety, equipment safety, and first aid.

According to Mr. Apenu, the skills acquired will enable the beneficiaries to secure job placements or apply for jobs using their certificates and license E certifications.

He expressed delight that the employable skills offered would contribute significantly to addressing Ghana’s unemployment challenges in the mining and construction sectors.

The beneficiaries pledged to apply their newly acquired skills responsibly and expressed heartfelt appreciation to the NAkDeF for its generous support.

The Newmont Akyem Development Foundation has been working in nine Newmont Akyem Mine communities towards socio-economic transformation of the lives of the people.

The first five years of the Foundation’s operations were devoted towards the provision of basic infrastructures and human capacity development interventions aimed at addressing the pressing basic infrastructural deficits within the catchment communities.