Asanko Gold Ghana is exploring more ways to halt the increasing trend of unemployment among the youth within its operational areas and surrounding communities.

Dubbed, ‘Graduate Training Program’, the initiative provides beneficiaries with training packages with the mining company or the mine’s contractors.

Already, twenty-four graduates who have completed their national service with the mining firm, have received a two-year training package for employment at Asanko or any of its contractors within related fields.

The mine's Organizational Capability Manager, Mohaiden Mohammed at the official launch of the program revealed the move is the mine’s response to the new Mineral and Mining Legislative Instrument 2431.

Passed in October 2020, the LI enjoins mining firms to submit a budget of training of such people and collaborate with the country's universities to develop Ghana's manpower in the mining field.

Mr Mohammed explained the move is critical to deepening and improving the implementation of Ghana’s local content law.

More than 100 graduates have benefitted from other employment initiatives since 2017 even before the LI2431 was passed last year.

The mine's initiative is expected to absorb most of the beneficiaries whiles others are engaged by contractors working with the mine.

But further arrangements are underway to ensure those unable to meet the benchmark would have been equipped move out into the open job market to look for jobs.

According to Mr Mohaideen, "the move was to improve on the ratio to 70:30 by next year, hoping to reach a 50:50 percentage ratio in three years.

"Currently, females constitute 33 per cent of the beneficiaries with the hope of reaching a female-male parity within the same three years," he touched on the gender parity.

He added that the mine's focus is to engage 60 per cent of those in the sciences with 40 per cent within the humanities.

General Manager of Asanko, Andrew McGowan, in his remarks urged the beneficiaries to focus to scale up their personal development to ensure they are well-positioned in the 21st-century mining which is being taken over by technology.

Some of the beneficiaries expressed intense gratification as they assured of strict adherence to work ethics, an exhibition of good working attitude to maximize production.