AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has been adjudged the 2019 Mining Company of the Year at the 6th Ghana Mining Industry Awards held in Accra.
The company’s superior performance in environmental management, corporate social investment, occupational health and safety, mining innovation as well as fiscal contributions accounted for the win.
General Manager of Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine, Stephen Osei-Bempah, was awarded with the 2019 Mining Personality of the Year Award for his stellar performance in steering the mine to improve its productivity. Similarly, Catherine Kuupol Kuutor, Metallurgical Manager for Abosso Goldfields Ltd emerged winner of the 2019 Female Mining Professional of Year category. She fended off stiff competition from nine other top female mining engineers to win the award.
Other big winners on the night were Newmont Ghana, Golden Star Resources and Gold Fields Ghana. Newmont Ghana’s Ahafo and Akyem mines were winner and runner-up respectively in the Best Performer in Environmental Management category. The company’s Ahafo Mine also emerged first runner-up in Best Performer in Exploration (Senior) category. Abosso Goldfields Limited Damang Mine swept the awards for Corporate Social Investment and Innovation while Golden Star Wassa Ltd won the Best Performer in Occupational Health and Safety as well as the Community Safety Brigade of the Year.
President of the Chamber, Eric Asubonteng, praised the resilience of Ghanaian mining companies for putting robust measures in place to contain the COVID-19. According to him, in-spite of the challenges posed by the pandemic, mining companies proved that effective management of the workplace is a sure way to safeguard the health and safety of staff as well as host communities.
“There is no better time to deepen relations with stakeholders, particularly the government, to create a shared value for investors, communities and the state. We will continue to adopt novel ideas and best practice to help national economic growth priorities” he stated. He urged Ghanaians to ensure that the reputation of Ghana as an oasis of peace in the subregion is maintained during and after the 7th December 2020 national presidential and parliamentary elections.
The guest speaker, Rev. Daniel Ogbarmey Tetteh – Director General of the Securities and Exchange Commission, underscored the need for local mining firms to take advantage of the opportunities offered by the stock exchange to raise capital for their operations in Ghana. “As a nation, can we say that we have been able to fully harness our God-given endowment in gold and other mineral resources to generate exponential wealth and economic benefit for our people?”
Rev. Ogbarmey Tetteh indicated that Ghana is able to learn from countries such as Australia and South Africa to utilise the unique opportunities presented by the stock exchange to support mining companies and to grow wealth among local entrepreneurs.
Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, commended the industry for continuing to anchor Ghana’s economy. According to him, the government will continue to create an enabling environment for the mining industry to thrive.
“This country has benefitted immensely from the economic contribution of mining in the past decades. In addition to mining being the highest foreign exchange earner for the country, it continues to be a reliable avenue for government revenue, employment generation and key attraction to foreign direct investment,” he added.
The Board Chairman of the Environmental Protection Agency and former Managing Director of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi, Kwesi Enyan, was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to the growth of mining in Ghana. Daily Graphic’s Timothy Ngnenbe and Sani Abdul-Rahman of GTV won the Best Mining Reporter award for print and broadcast respectively.
The 6th Ghana Mining Industry Awards was organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines with support from the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Minerals Commission and the Environmental Protection Agency. It was sponsored by Gold Fields Ghana Ltd, Chirano Gold Mines, AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, African Underground Mining Services, Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd, Interplast Ghana, SMT, PwC, and Newmont Ghana.
