A new initiative is being undertaken to revive the local jewellery industry, which is almost on the verge of collapse. The initiative, a collaboration between Development Dimensions Limited - a jewellery manufacturing firm - and the College of Arts and Social Sciences at the KNUST, involves setting up a multi-million Ghana cedi Centre with the primary objective of conducting research and training jewellers to aid the manufacture of jewellery for both the local and export markets. The US$500,000 Centre, which attracted a monetary support of US$225,000 from the Export Development and Investment Fund (EDIF), is under the Industrial Art Department of the University and is the first of its kind in the country. It currently has two units comprising the training unit, which offers a six-month certificate course to be awarded by KNUST, and a production unit which is purposely for the manufacture of jewellery for both local and export markets. It offers courses such as Gem Stones Setting, Casting, Soldering, Alloying Technologies and Finishing. The rest are, Workshop Practice for Jewellers, Science and Chemistry, Basic Drawing and Design for Jewellers, Entrepreneurship and Sales and Communication Skills. Students are also introduced to several facets in the production of diamonds and other gemstones, where to apply pressure and the importance of cutting the proper seating for a stone. With a tradition dating back to the 5th century B.C, Ghana has always had a vibrant goldsmithing and jewel-making industry wherein Ghanaians used their traditional skills, craftsmanship and dexterity to transform precious metals like gold into ornaments. Unfortunately, this ingenuity and human resource has not been fully utilised to develop a strong export-oriented industry, or even sell to the growing number of tourists visiting the country. It is ironic that in a country like Mauritius, where mineral wealth in comparative terms is nowhere near Ghana’s, jewellery and processed diamonds are the third-most important export product group after textiles, clothing and fish products. As a major producer of gold and diamonds, vast opportunities exist in the production of fine jewellery, custom jewellery and accessories and services. The country, which is Africa’s second-largest producer of gold, increased production from a year earlier by 3.5% to 1.46 million ounces during the first half of 2010. But very little of this production is refined into jewellery and ornaments for exports of higher value. Record-high gold prices, which have become a perennial feature of the market cycle in recent times, disproportionately enrich mining firms to the detriment of resource-owners. Jewellery production and exports by indigenous entrepreneurs and manufacturers will not only earn higher export income for the economy, but will have a more direct impact on the incomes and well-being of the population. Local players also believe the new initiative can go along way to resuscitate the local jewellery industry because local enterprises are small and “inward-oriented”, mainly producing for the domestic market. Dr. Joyce Aryee, Chief Executive of the Chamber of Mines, at the inauguration said in towns like Obuasi, Kumasi and Tarkwa where goldsmithing is a very vibrant business, the trade has almost ground to a halt due to lack of innovation, marketing and managerial skills. She said the Chamber is currently reviewing plans to support goldsmiths in value-addition. Dr. Aryee noted the Chamber intends to assist those who are willing and capable to upgrade their production set-up and produce high quality jewellery to revamp the local industry, stressing that the acquisition of knowledge, skills and competencies - obviously through training - is critical to improve performance of jewellery enterprises, upgrade the quality of their products and manufacture new and innovative products. “Today, enterprises which ignore the importance of training run the risk of losing their survival advantages.” In an interview with B&FT in Kumasi, the Chief Executive Officer of the KNUST Jewellery Design and Technology Centre Limited, Mr. Joseph Kojo Arthur, said the Centre in its quest to revamp the jewellery industry wishes to revive in Ghanaians the lost culture of investing in jewellery made from precious metals, which are then sold off at later times to meet various contingencies in the family. From left to right: Dr. Joyce Aryee, Prof Daniel Ohene-Adu, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, Prof. K K Adarkwa, Prof. Dr. Daniel Bour and Mr. Joseph K. Arthur, CEO of the Centre Source: BFT