Newmont Gold Ghana Limited- Ahafo mine has been adjudged the mining company of the year 2015 at the second edition of the Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA).
Newmont Ghana Gold Limited, a subsidiary of Newmont Mining Corporation, one of the World’s largest gold mining companies outshone key competitions to pick the top award on last Friday.
Additionally, the mining company topped in four other award categories on the night.
The awards which was organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines sought to promote, encourage, and celebrate outstanding achievements and excellence in the mining industry.
The awards recognized and honoured organizations and individuals who have made significant contributions to the mining sector in Ghana.
Over 20 award categories were presented at the night. These included best mining company in local content; occupational health and safety; innovation as well as CSR investment project, and lifetime achievers award and mining company of the year.
A former CEO of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ambassador Bentum Williams was presented with the Lifetime Achievers Award.
The Regional Senior Vice President for Newmont Africa, Alwin Pretorius said: “We are humbled and proud to have received these awards. For us it means that our strategies are working and what we are doing in-country is also working for us as a company and our staff”.
“As Newmont, we always try to create value, improving lives through sustainable and responsible mining. For us that is the most important thing for us to do. And in everything that we do, we try to improve what we do”, he told journalists at the event held in Accra, Ghana.
In an address, a former President of the Chamber of Mines, Kwaku Andoh Awortwi regretted that rising activities of illegal miners was a threat to the mining industry.
In his own words: “One thing that has really surprised me is the rise of galamsey or small scale mining….today, their 35 percent and they have actually overrun the largest mine that the country ever had; Anglogold Obuasi mine”.
Mr. Awortwi impressed upon mining companies operating in the country to be proactive in meeting dynamic needs of their respective companies and the sector at large.
The theme for this year’s awards was titled ‘Recognising Excellence, Celebrating Achievement in the Mining Industry’.
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, African Eye Report
