AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine is 2019 Mining Company of the Year

AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine has been adjudged the 2019 Mining Company of the Year at the 6^th Ghana Mining Industry Awards held on Friday, 20^th November 2020 at the Movenpick Ambassador Hotel 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, Mr. 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, Mrs 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, Mr 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 7^th 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, Hon. Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, who was the Guest of Honour 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, Mr. 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 6^th 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.

The list of award winners is as follows:

MINING COMPANY OF THE YEAR:- AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD:- Mr Kwesi Enyan, Board Chairman, Environmental Protection Agency

MINING PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD):- Stephen Osei-Bempah, General Manager, Gold Fields Tarkwa Mine.

BEST FEMALE MINING PROFESSIONAL OF THE YEAR –

• WINNER:- Mrs Catherine Kuupol Kuutor of Abosso Goldfields Ltd.
• RUNNER-UP:- Mrs. Margaret Aniawu-Asumakah of AngloGold Ashanti Obuasi Mine.

 BEST MINING REPORTER –

• PRINT:- Mr Timothy Ngenbe (GHS5,000 Prize Money)
• BROADCAST:- Sani Abdul-Rahman (GHS5,000 Prize Money)

BEST PERFORMER IN CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT

• WINNER:- Abosso Goldfields Ltd, Damang
• RUNNER UP:- AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Obuasi Mine

BEST PERFORMER IN INNOVATION –

• WINNER:- Abosso Goldfields Ltd, Damang
• RUNNER-UP:- Perseus Mining Ghana Ltd

BEST PERFORMER IN LOCAL MANUFACTURING OF MINING INPUTS

• WINNER:- Interplast Limited
• RUNNER-UP:- Carmeuse Lime Products (Gh) Ltd.

BEST PERFORMER IN MINE SUPPLIES AND SERVICES

• WINNER:- PW Ghana Ltd
• RUNNER-UP:- Interplast Limited

BEST PERFORMER IN CONTRACT MINING

• WINNER: Beniwise Ghana Ltd

BEST PERFORMER IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY

• WINNER:–Golden Star Wassa Ltd
• RUNNER-UP –  Chirano Gold Mines

BEST PERFORMER IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT

• WINNER:-  Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Ahafo  Mine
• RUNNERS-UP:- Newmont Golden Ridge Ltd, Akyem Mine

BEST COMMUNITY SAFETY BRIGADE

• WINNER:- Golden Star Wassa Ltd

BEST PERFORMER IN EXPLORATION (Senior)

• WINNER:- Asanko Gold Ghana Limited
• RUNNER-UP:-Newmont Ghana Gold Limited

BEST PERFORMER IN EXPLORATION (Junior)

• WINNER:- Azumah Resources Limited
• RUNNER-UP:- Cardinal Resources Ltd

SPECIAL HONORARY AWARDS

• Mr Benjamin Aryee, Former CEO of the Minerals Commission
• Mr Michael Botchway Former Chief Inspector of Mines of the Minerals Commission
• Bruce Banoeng-Yakubo, Former Chief Director of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources
• Newton Amegbey, Former Pro-Vice Chancellor of the University of Mines and Technology (UMaT)
• Mr John Pwamang, Former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency
• Africa Centre for Energy Policy

STUDENT AWARDS

1. BEST GRADUATE RESEARCH, Benjamin Kojo Quadzie of UMaT (GH5,000 Prize Money)
2. BEST FEMALE STUDENT (LEVEL 200) UMaT, Albertina Tawiah Agyampomaa (GH3,000 Prize Money)
3. BEST MALE STUDENT (Level 200) UMaT, Shadrack Kwasi Nuamah (GH53000 Prize Money)