The Ghana Chamber of Mines in partnership with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources held the 8(th) edition of the Ghana Mining Industry awards at the Movenpick hotel in Accra on 2(nd) December 2022.The annual ceremony recognizes excellence and the contributions of mining companies and individuals to the development of mining in Ghana.Present at the ceremony were all the major players in the mining industry. Also in attendance were representatives of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), The Minerals Commission, The Forestry Commission, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, the Water Resources Commission, and other regulatory bodies.Various awards were presented and Golden Star Wassa took home the under-listed in recognition of the extensive work done in the year 2021.

Best Performer in Innovation Award (Second Runner-Up)

This was in recognition of our Paste Backfill plant. The plant uses tailings waste to make backfill paste to fill underground stopes. This is an improvement from using rocks to fill mined-out stopes. Another exciting distinction of our plant is the use of ceramic filter disks, an innovation that provides safety, structural and economic benefits as well as improved production rates and lower operating costs.

Best Performer in Diversity & Inclusion Award (First Runner Up)

We received this award for the development of an Inclusion and Diversity (I & D) policy set to increase women’s participation in our operations to 20% by 2025. The policy also includes targets to enhance cross-cultural awareness, promote an ongoing zero tolerance for harassment and discrimination, broaden the representation of our community engagement structures and enhance the involvement of women in work placements, internships, and graduate opportunities.

Our last set of awards was based on nominations we made for others, and in those categories, Master Emmanuel Boateng, from Akyempim Basic School A in our catchment community took home first runner-up for the National First Aid essay competition.Lastly, Geodrill, our sub-contractor, was the first runner-up for Best Performer in Local Manufacturing of Mining Supplies and Support Services.

Commenting on the awards Mr. Zhiyong Chen, Chairman of Golden Star Wassa Limited said ‘the team in Wassa never ceases to amaze me, with the zeal and commitment they bring to their work.  I am proud that peer and industry players have recognized these efforts'.