The 4th edition of Ghacem’s Quarry Life Awards (QLA) Campaign, has begun and this year’s finalists are keen on emulating the examples of Ghana’s representatives for the past three editions.

The project which runs from January to September 2018 entails a lot of work including site visits; engagement with key stakeholders such as communities around the quarry sites where Ghacem operates, report writing and presentation. 

New in this fourth edition is a separate assessment of scientific and community project ideas with six finalists instead of five segmented into research stream and community stream with only the first and second to receive prize money of 5,000 Euros and 2,500 Euros, respectively in the different categories.

The QLA National Coordinator, Kwabena Labi Addo, underscored the importance of the engagement with the participants and said it will also afford the QLA Jury Members and Executives the opportunity of understanding the methodology of the various projects. 

“I’m optimistic that the zeal exhibited by each participant will provide an international winner for the 4th edition of the QLA campaign.”

A Jury Member, Prof Erasmus Owusu, Associate Professor/Conservation Science Director, Centre for Climate Change and Sustainable Studies, University of Ghana-Legon in his assessment observed the various projects as very competitive compared to the previous editions “which is due to the quality of proposals submitted and I believe the ones shortlisted have the potential of winning international award if they are undertaken properly”

He urged the participants to be mindful of the competitive nature of this year’s competition and work assiduously to come out with a credible project which can become an added value for them and not just the awards.

Mr Yaw Kwakye, of the Climate Change Unit of the Forestry Commission who is also a jury member, observed the segmentation of this year’s project into research stream and community stream as an important innovation as it would provide detailed analyses of the 2 areas. 

“The Community stream, for instance, needs utmost attention because there is no meaning to a good research if it would not impact society”

A participant, Ms Emily Esenam Bansah who spoke on behalf of the finalists noted the first encounter with the jury has been educative since the Jury has been able to analyze the various projects for them to move forward with the projects. 

“We are very grateful and hope to be serious and professional with the research to make Ghana proud”

Quarry Life Award (QLA)

The QLA Campaign, organized by the HeidelbergCement (HC) and its subsidiaries across the globe, including Ghacem Limited of Ghana, seeks to source ideas towards the effective regeneration and management of biodiversity in its mining sites. The campaign rewards the most effective ideas on possible ways to reclaim lands in areas where the HC Group operates globally.

Project titles

The finalists have the following as the title of the projects: Evans Ewald Nkrumah (impact of mining on foraging Bats), Edmond Schandorf (Soil moisture retention and native pollinators preservation: The case of Mimosa Pudica), Daniel Adusu (Promote the use of biochar for mine soil amendment and biodiversity enhancement), Emily Esenam Bansah (The Statistical Determination of the Best Biological Geotextile for Biodiversity Promotion in Quarries), Kwame Konadu Yeboah (Socio-economic impact assessment of Talbotiellagentii spp. in five communities) and Abraham Addo-Ansah Allotey (Promoting community participation for sustainable eco-restoration)