Newmont Africa on Friday (1 December) emerged as the mining company of the year at the 9th Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA) organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines in Accra.

The prestigious Mining Company of the Year is awarded to a firm that has excelled in sustainable environmental management, occupational, health and safety, corporate social investment mining innovation and fiscal contribution to the state.

Speaking on the awards, the Director of Communications and External Relations at Newmont, David Johnson, noted that this year has been good for the company, adding that last year, Newmont picked a number of awards but missed out on the Mining Company of the year but from that time on they worked extra hard to ensure that it wins the ultimate this year.

"We will work harder to maintain the title and we will not let our guards down," he stressed.

Newmont also picked up a couple of awards in the environmental, Innovation and other categories.

Newmont was the overall winner in the Best Environmental Management category. Again, it's Ahafo Mine was the second runner up in Corporate Social Investment category while Newmont Akyem Mine emerged as the winner in the same category.
In the Diversity category, Newmont Ahafo Mine was second runner up while the it's Akyem Mine was the first runner up.

This year’s event also saw Eric Asubonteng, Senior Vice President, Africa (Non-operated JVs) AngloGold Ashanti walking away with the mining personality of the year in the President’s Award category.

Lifetime Achievement Award of the year went to Mona Quartey.

The Best Female Miner of the Year (technical and non-technical) went to Charlotte Fafa Tay Senyo, Senior Manager, Sustainability Projects at Newmont Corporation – Ahafo Mine and Ing. Ellen Serwaa Kontoh, Senior Manager, Asset Management at Anglogold Ashanti Limited.

Speaking at the event, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines Joshua Mortoti called on government to take a critical look at the mining fiscal tax regime in the country.

"…We would like to reiterate our commitment to supporting the government in its pursuit of socio-economic development. However, we wish to urge the government to deepen collaboration with the industry for mutually beneficial policies to drive growth at all levels.

"We urge the government to relook the mining fiscal tax regime, especially concerning exploration. As we have said before, without exploration our industry will grind to a halt,” Mortoti said.