By Edzorna Francis Mensah
The Ghana Institution of Geoscientists (GhIG), has inaugurated a new chapter for students on the University of Ghana, Legon campus.
The inauguration, which aims to link academia to the industry and expose students to the important roles Geoscientists play for environmental sustainability and growth, also saw new executives being inducted into office.
The executives, made up of six persons for the 2021/2022 academic year GHIG UG Chapter, has Mba Aziriba Michael, President; Armah Obed Tettey, Vice President; Mohammed Saudatu Samed, General Secretary; Ohene-Gyan Evelyn, Organising Secretary; Ansah Kenneth Delali, Website Officer; and Ayeh Douglas Okyere as the Public Affairs Officer.
The General Secretary, Ghana Institution of Geoscientists, Crisler Akwei Ankrah, who administered the oath of office to the new executives charged the students to learn at the feet of the industry players and “care and maintain our earth surface and planning, the natural resources, the environment and the ecological disposition for generations”.
According to him, they are not going to change the dynamic of lecturing but the Institution is coming to complement what the hard-working lecturers are doing in training.
“We’ve already designed a lot of programmes to support the chapter. The ultimate goals are to bring out well-trained Geoscientists for them to impact positively in the management, exploration, and care of our environment, our natural resources so that, we can put a stop to the many disasters, rivers being devastated, ground and surface waters being polluted and all negativities that we are seeing today,” he stressed on Tuesday, July 12, 2022, at the Department of Earth Science, Legon.
Mr. Ankrah was extremely happy and described the launching as a significant milestone in the history of the Ghana Institution of Geoscientists. “We have been working with our hardworking lecturers at the background but today offered us an opportunity to formally launch our Legon Chapter.”
For his part, the Head of Department and Vice President of Ghana Institution of Geoscientists, Professor Patrick Sakyi, admonished the students to take their studies seriously, network with the industry players and take their industrial internships seriously as he acknowledged the fact that Geoscientists play very crucial roles in national development, their services cut across many areas of professions including the banking industry.
“Normally we say Geoscientists rule the world just because we are mainly involved in the extractive industry-mining, oil and gas, underground water, engineering, construction and so on, and Geoscientists find the oils and minerals before the engineers go and drill them,” he added.
Immediate past President of GhIG and former Provost, College of Basic and Applied Sciences (CBAS), Prof. Daniel Kwadwo Asiedu, also urged the students to endeavour to expand their network before completing their studies.
According to him, getting good grades through a studious academic life does not fully accomplish the purpose of tertiary education. He wants students to build professional relationships with academics, and industry players in a bid to successfully navigate through the job market after school.
In his acceptance speech, the President of the Student Chapter, Mba Aziriba Michael accepted the responsibility and promised to ensure and enhance the objectives of the institution in the areas of developing and maintaining standards of professional ethics, acquainting the student body with the latest concepts and developments in the geosciences, promoting the exchange of ideas and information in geosciences among members, disseminating and facilitating the discussion of geoscience concepts and stimulate interest in the geoscience study and profession and encourage the public to appreciate the importance of the profession in everyday life.
He said his administration will continue to employ the services of symposia via webinars to expose the student body and the public to the visions of the GhIG as he stressed exploring the benefits of the institution and attaining more membership hence monitoring their active roles as they practice geoscience.
As such, the importance of the environment and its usefulness is exposed to the public, minimising the unlawful and destructive activities posing dangers to the earth and its constituents, including mankind.
The Ghana Institution of Geoscientists (GhIG), is the only national association dedicated to issues relating to geoscience. The institution is poised with a common aim of championing the cause of professional Geoscientists and promoting Geoscience in the country.
It serves as an umbrella to group all practicing and learning geoscience members. The institution focuses on regulating Geoscience practices to promote the welfare of its members without prejudice and protecting the public interest, natural resources, and our environment.