Mining Companies in the country have been charged to priorities sustainable mining practices as the effects of climate change dawns on economies across the country.
Speaking at the 5th Ghana Mining Industry Awards, CEO of the Chamber of Mines, Sulemanu Koney warned that unsafe mining practices will be inimical to Ghana’s development.
“At the Chamber, we are particularly fastidious about our commitment to sustainable mining practices because it is our considered view that mining must enhance the lives of our people.
“People should begin to enumerate the impact of mining in their lives and be proud to share the good news with others. We must put our hands to the wheel to make the impact that we wish to see and feel,” he stated,
On his part, Minister for Business Development, Ibrahim Mohamed Awal, made a case for mining firms to be tax compliant.
“ Let us endeavour to pay more taxes even as we continue to impact the lives of the very communities we operate in. This is very necessary for national development and industrial revolution”.
The Awards night saw 19 mining companies and individuals honoured for the various contributions to the mining industry.
These included the Mining Personality Award which went to Alfred Baku, Executive Vice President of Gold Fields Ghana; as the Mining Company of the Year went to Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd.
Joy News’ Latif Iddrisu, for the second year running, won the Best Mining Reporter award following his documentary on the resurgence if illegal small-scale mining across some mining communities.
“This award means a lot to me. The said documentary is evidence of the need for more surveillance across mining communities to end the scourge of illegal small scale mining,” the reporter said.
Other award winners were Gold Fields for Innovation, Golden Star Wassa Ltd for Occupational Health and Safety, Anglogold Ashanti Obuasi Mine for Corporate Social Investment among others. This year’s event was sponsored by AngloGold Ashanti Ghana, Standard Chartered bank Ghana, Ghana Manganese Company, Gold Fields Ghana Ltd, Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd, Golden Star Wassa Ltd, and Newmont Goldcorp Ghana. The PwC was the awards validator.
Below is a full list of award winners:
MINING COMPANY OF THE YEAR
-ASANKO GOLD GHANA LTD
MINING PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR (THE PRESIDENT’S AWARD)
-ALFRED BAKU
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
-ANTHONY NANA ANDOH
HONORARY AWARDS
-MR. MICHAEL TETE KOFI, FORMER PRINCIPAL OF UMAT
-MR. STEPHEN PIEDU, FORMER CHIEF INSPECTOR OF MINES
-MR. DANIEL AMLALO, FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE EPA
FEMALE MINER OF THE YEAR
-WINNER: MARIAN BOATEMAA
-RUNNER-UP: SHIRLEY OTENG SEIFAH
BEST PERFORMER IN ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
-NEWMONT GOLDEN RIDGE- AKYEM MINE & PERSEUS MINING (GHANA) LIMITED
BEST PERFORMER IN OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH AND SAFETY
-WINNER:-GOLDEN STAR WASSA LIMITED
-RUNNER-UP: NEWMONT GOLDEN RIDGE- AKYEM MINE
BEST PERFORMER IN LOCAL CONTENT
-WINNER: ADAMUS RESOURCES LIMITED
-RUNNER-UP: CHIRANO GOLD MINES
BEST PERFORMER IN LOCAL MANUFACTURING OF MINE INPUTS
-WINNER: INTERPLAST GHANA LIMITED
-RUNNER-UP: CARMEUSE LINE PRODUCT
BEST PERFORMER IN MINE SUPPLIES & SERVICES
-WINNER: PW GHANA LIMITED
-RUNNER-UP: ZEN PETROLEUM
BEST PERFORMER IN CONTRACT MINING
-PW MINING INTERNATIONAL (GH) LMTD & MAXMASS LIMITED
FINANCIAL DEAL OF THE YEAR
-ECOBANK GHANA LIMITED & GOLDEN STAR WASSA LTD
MINE COMMUNITY SAFETY BRIGADE OF THE YEAR
-NEWMONT GOLDEN RIDGE- AKYEM MINE
BEST MINING REPORTER
-WINNER: LATIF IDDRISU
-RUNNER-UP: KWAKU OWUSU PEPRAH
BEST PERFORMER IN INNOVATION
-WINNER: GOLD FIELDS GHANA LIMITED- TARKWA MINE
-RUNNER-UP: ASANKO GOLD GHANA LTD
CORPORATE SOCIAL INVESTMENT (CSI) PROJECT OF THE YEAR
-WINNER: ANGLOGOLD ASHANTI OBUASI
-RUNNER-UP: GOLDEN STAR BOGOSO PRESTEA LTD
BEST GRADUATE RESEARCH (UMAT)
-HUDSON BREW BOAHENE
BEST PERFORMER IN EXPLORATION
-WINNER: ASANKO GOLD GHANA LTD
-RUNNER-UP: AZUMAH RESOURCES LTD
BEST MINING STUDENT OF UMAT (MALE & FEMALE)
-SAMUEL EDEM KODZO TETTEH
-GERTRUDE ACQUAH
BEST ESSAY IN INTER-MINES FIRST AID & SAFETY COMPETITION
-WINNER:- MISS BARBARA ANOKYE
-1ST RUNNER-UP: MASTER EBENEZER ARTHUR
-2ND RUNNER-UP: MASTER EMMANUEL KYEI ASAAH