Barrick, MUHAS enter 300m/- d

African Barrick Gold Vice President Corporate Affairs Deo Mwanyika and Muhimbili University College of Health Sciences (MUHAS) vice chancellor, Prof Ephata Kaaya (centre) sign a Memorandum of Understanding intended to improve skills development, in Dar es Salaam yesterday. Left is MUHAS head of department of Environment and Occupational Health, Dr Simon Manuya

African Barrick Gold (ABG) has pledged to work with higher learning institutions to address the shortage of mining professionals for effective management of the country’s mining industry.

The promise was made yesterday in Dar es Salaam by the company’s Vice President, Corporate Affairs, Deo Mwanyika when signing a memorandum of Understanding with the Muhimbili University of Health and Allied Sciences (MUHAS) worth over 300m/-.

The MoU establishes a structure of support for students and faculties of the departments of environmental and occupational health sciences.

The aim is to enhance aptitudes and relevant knowledge through work experience and practical training.

Mwanyika said Tanzania faces a lot of challenges in the mining sector which need collaborative efforts to address and noted that ABG, in collaboration with other firms spearheaded the integrated mining technical training.

“Their long term vision was to develop skills to meet the fast growing mining sector’s demand,” he said.

According to him, the partnership provides field practice through internships, training bursaries, renovation and provision of equipment for the Environmental Health Laboratory and research support in areas of environmental health sciences.

Speaking at the event, the MUHAS Head of Environmental and Occupational Health Department, Dr Simon Mamuya, urged other firms to emulate ABG’s example.

He said ABG recognises that the capacity of Tanzania’s environmental and occupational health would not become self-sustaining without increasing its knowledge base through post-graduate education.

He said it also provides skills necessary to evaluate health problems in communities thought to be associated with environmental exposure and work activities.

Hailing the company for recruiting two graduates from MUHAS in the section of safety and industrial hygiene, Dr Mamuya summed up saying the cooperation between MUHAS and ABG seeks to enhance the quality of tertiary education in Tanzania’s environmental and occupational fields.