ACCRA – AECI Mining Explosives West Africa has intensified its focus on industrial safety and workforce resilience with the launch of a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) in Ghana. The initiative, developed in partnership with South Africa’s Supreme Healthcare Management Services, establishes a professional support framework designed to address the unique psychological pressures inherent in the high-stakes mining and explosives sector. By integrating mental health into its core operational strategy, the company aims to mitigate the risks associated with employee fatigue, stress, and trauma before they escalate into safety incidents or productivity losses.
The programme provides a confidential conduit for employees and their families to access licensed psychological support, financial counseling, and crisis intervention. “While helmets, boots, and harnesses protect the body, the EAP protects the mind,” stated Patience Osekre, Managing Director of Supreme Healthcare Management Services, during the launch event. She emphasized that in high-pressure industrial environments, mental clarity is a primary determinant of operational precision, noting that “when the mind is well, focus improves, accidents reduce, and both individual and organizational performance soar.”
For AECI, the rollout represents a strategic shift toward a “community of care” model that recognizes the inseparable link between personal stability and professional output. Hannah Heloo, Human Capital Manager for AECI Mining Explosives West Africa, underscored that the programme aligns with a broader regional strategy to empower the workforce beyond traditional performance metrics. “We cannot separate the personal from the professional,” Heloo remarked, adding that meeting employees “where they are” is essential for sustaining the company’s human capital—which she described as its greatest asset—in an increasingly demanding global industry.
The introduction of the EAP is set to establish a new benchmark for corporate wellness within Ghana’s industrial landscape, particularly as mining firms face growing scrutiny over labor conditions and mental health. By providing monthly resilience training, webinars, and critical incident response services, AECI is positioning itself as a leader in proactive risk management. “The goal is support, not supervision,” Osekre concluded, reiterating that the programme’s strict confidentiality is the cornerstone of the trust required to foster a resilient, safety-first corporate culture.
