Ghacem rewards top projects in QLA 4th edition
Cement producer, Ghacem Limited, has presented GH¢ 27,525 each to two graduates for emerging winners of its Quarry Life Award (QLA) research campaign.
The winners were Daniel Adusu, a 27-year-graduate of the University of Energy and Natural Resources with project title: ‘Promoting the use of biochar for mine soil amendment and biodiversity enhancement,’ for the research category, and Kwame Konadu Yeboah, 24-year-old graduate of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology with project title: ‘Socio-economic impact assessment of Talbotiellagentii spp. in five communities, for the community category.
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The closest competitors were Emily Esenam Bansah with the project title: The Statistical Determination of the Best Biological Geotextile for Biodiversity Promotion in Quarries and Abraham Addo-Ansah Allotey with the project title: Promoting community participation for sustainable eco-restoration in the research category and community category respectively.
They were rewarded with trophies and cash prize of GH¢ 13,752.50 each Rationale
In his remarks, the Managing Director of Ghacem, Mr Morten Gade, said the QLA was introduced by Heidelberg Cement to raise the knowledge of biological value on mining sites.
The competition, he said, was meant to further enhance the management of biodiversity during and after extraction.
“This competition has demonstrated a lot of academic excellence through research and community engagement for the extractive sector,’’ he said .
He reaffirmed the company’s commitment to undertake its operations in a responsible manner that protects biodiversity at the quarries.
He commended the researchers for the show of professionalism and enthusiasm to come up with innovative ways of protecting biodiversity.
For his part, the Minister of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, Professor Kwabena Frimpong Boateng, commended Ghacem/WAQL and Heidelberg Cement for using the QLA to encourage researchers to achieve their potential.
“Ghacem/WAQL by this initiative has given Ghanaian researchers the opportunity to affect the environment and by extension biodiversity positively”