RAND REFINERY SUPPORTS KNUST (PAGE 11, JAN 27, 2010)

RAND Refinery Limited of South Africa, the largest single-site gold refinery and smelter in the world, has presented silver products valued at approximately GH¢9,500 to the Department of Industrial Arts of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) in Kumasi.
The items, which included silver plates, wires, tubes and grains of various sizes and lengths, were made in line with the company’s recognition of the quality and social importance of KNUST’s jewellery training course, as well as Rand Refinery’s desire to support the university’s activities in jewellery beneficiation.
The department was selected for the donation following recommendations made by the Ghana Chamber of Mines and also as a result of its stature, history and commitment to human resource development.
Mr Chris Horsley, Head of Sourcing, Vault and Logistics of Rand Refinery, who made the presentation on behalf of the company, said it was in fulfilment of the company’s commitment to support skills development in jewellery design and manufacturing in Ghana.
The donation is the first to be made by the company to the university and Mr Horsley expressed the belief that it was the beginning of a fruitful relationship between the company and KNUST.
He indicated that the company recognised the important contribution precious metals beneficiation could make to the socio-economic development of Africa.
Consequently, Rand Refinery would play its role effectively in ensuring the development of that sector.
Mr Horsley said, “ Through this donation, Rand Refinery aims at contributing to the co-operation between Ghana and South Africa in the field of higher education by offering practical support to students taking the jewellery and silver-smithing degree courses.”
He said the company was happy about the strides of the department to become a centre of excellence and a leader in the sub-region in terms of teaching, research, skills and knowledge dissemination in all aspects of precious metal jewellery design, production and marketing.
The Provost of the College of Arts and Social Sciences of the KNUST, Professor Dr Dr Daniel Buor, who received the donation on behalf of the department, thanked the company and appealed to other companies to support the university’s efforts at developing talents for the nation.
He stated that academia survived with the support of industry because it was becoming burdensome for the government alone to shoulder all the responsibilities of tertiary education.