(Left to right) Jerry Egala, General Manager for Golden Star Bogoso/Prestea Ltd, Prof. J.S.Y. Kuma, Chairman of the Adjudicating Board, Hon. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, Deputy Minister for Lands & Natural Resources and Mr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines.
Golden Star Bogoso/Prestea Ltd was adjudged the Mining Company of the Year at the 2017 Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA).
The event, graced by Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Barbara Oteng Gyasi, was the third edition since its inception in 2015.
The awards is organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines every year to honour mining companies, personalities and service providers who have excelled in the promotion of socially and environmentally-responsible mining.
Hon Oteng-Gyasi commended the mining companies for their continued support and assured them of government’s commitment to connect the minerals sector to other sectors of the economy.
She urged them to deepen their engagement with local businesses to create the needed avenue for entrepreneurs to benefit from the value chain.
Kwame Addo-Kufuor, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, stated: “As a chamber, we continue to engage our key stakeholders to ensure that the country benefits immensely from the minerals exploited, be it in infrastructural expansion, job creation, health delivery and education,” he said.
He said the Chamber continued to collaborate with the Minerals Commission in the implementation of the local content regulation that sought to boost the participation of local manufacturing businesses in the mining sector.
Executive Vice President and Chief Operations Officer of Golden Star Resources, Daniel Owiredu, received the Mining Personality of the Year Award while Mary Anita Appianin of AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine was named the Female Miner of the Year.
Her runner-up was Catherine Kuupol Kuutor of Abosso Goldfields, Damang.
Newmont Golden Ridge Ltd, Akyem Mine was Best Environmental Manager while Edem Srem won Best Mining Reporter for his documentary on the Atewa Forest. He took home a prize money of GHS5,000.
Other winners
Lifetime Achievement Award went to Ferdinand Ohene-Kena, while Best Mining Reporter was Edem Srem, who received a prize money of GHS5,000.
The runner-up was Kojo Agyemang of Citi FM.
Golden Star Resources’ Ladies Club, Breast Cancer Awareness Programme, won Best Performer In Corporate Social Investment; with Anglogold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine’s Basic Education Improvement Project emerging runner up.
Anglogold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine won Best Performer In Innovation with Asanko Gold Ghana Ltd as runner-up; while Zen Petroleum got Best Performer in Mine Supplies And Support Services, with Vivo Energy emerging runner-up.
Maxmass Limited was Best Performer in Contract Mining, with African Mining Services (AMS) as runner up, while Ghana Manganese Company won Best Performer in Occupational Health and Safety, with Golden Star Bogoso/Prestea Ltd as runner-up.
Ghana Manganese Company was Best Performer in Local Content with Chirano Gold Mines as runner-up while Best Performer In Environmental Management went to Newmont Golden Ridge Limited, Akyem Mine; with Ghana Manganese Company & Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, Ahafo Mine respectively emerging runners-up.
Best Community Safety Brigade Award went to Perseus Mining Ghana Ltd while Best Performer in Exploration Award went to Asanko Gold Ghana Limited.
Azumah Resources Limited was runner up.
Special honorary awards
The special honorary awards went to Kofi Ansah, former CEO of Minerals Commission; Eben Sackey, former Chief Inspector of Mines of the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission and Dr. Peter Claver Acquah, former Executive Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
Student awards
Ahmed-Salim Adam of UMaT and Golden Star Bogoso/Prestea Ltd won Best Graduate Research Award; while Best Female Student (Level 200) UMaT Award went to Bettina Abena Bediako with Best Male Student (Level 200) UMaT Award going to Ebenezer Cobbinah.
Best essay competition
Winnifred Korankye Amoah of Golden Star JHS won the Best Essay Competition, with Albert Nsiah Nkrumah of Chirano Basic School & Master Jewela Mponsah Donkor of Dandwen JHS Nsuta as runners-up.