Wednesday 29 January 2020

Golden Star Shines at the 5th Ghana Mining Industry Awards


The 2019 Ghana Mining Industry Awards gala was held on November 29, 2019 where the Golden Star team was recognised with awards in three categories:
  • Best Performer in Occupational Health and Safety – Golden Star (Wassa) Limited
  • Financial Deal of the Year – Golden Star (Wassa) Limited 
  • Runner-up - Corporate Social Investment Project of the Year – Golden Star (Bogoso/Prestea) Limited

Golden Star Ladies showcase the awards presented to the team
Eric Bondzie, Finance Manager and Shaddrack Adjetey Sowah, MD - Wassa Mine

Best Performer in Occupational Health and Safety 

Golden Star Wassa Limited was awarded the Best Performer in Occupational Health and Safety. The award celebrates the company which excels in promoting a holistic health and safety culture and compliance with industry regulations and safety standards. 

In 2018 and 2019, Golden Star Wassa Limited and in fact, our entire company, undertook major programs for enhanced safety culture including leadership training, the development of standards to prevent fatal injuries, and various programs to enhance workplace housekeeping and safety. In 2019, GSWL met and exceeded all its leading safety metrics and achieved 15 million working man hours with no lost time injuries (LTI). 

Team Golden Star treating a casualty during an exercise at the 2019 inter-mines competition
  
Financial Deal of the Year 

This award celebrates joint financial transactions between a local financial institution and a producing mine that is breaking new ground and driving mining operations forward. Golden Star and Ecobank have had a history of financial partnership with two successful financial transactions leading up to 2018. 

In 2018, Golden Star Wassa benefited from US$45 million in financial transactions with Ecobank, following US$75 million in previous loans. The deal for which the partnership received the award secured the future of Golden Star Wassa Limited by guaranteeing continuous employment of 2,257 employees and 1,366 third party contractors (2018 data) of whom 2,170 are directly employed from the local mine communities. 

Lilian Awuah in front of her new jumbo drill 
The financial deal enabled the purchase of new equipment

Runner-up - Corporate Social Investment Project of the Year

Golden Star’s “Multi-Purpose Recreational Park Complex” was recognised as runner-up Corporate Social Investment Project of the Year, making 2019 the fourth successive year that GSBPL has been recognised in this award category.

This project saw the reclamation of an unauthorised communal refuse site into a multi-purpose recreational park complex that is now the focus for sports and social programmes for almost 30,000 people in Prestea and its surrounding communities.

The project which brought together the combined efforts of Golden Star, LOCOMs and Maintenance Sustainability Africa, has served about 30,000 people through social events ranging from competitions, wedding receptions, music festivals and others. On a weekly basis basketball and aerobics sessions are conducted, with plans for exercise programs for the elderly and infirm among others.

Before (top) and after pictures of the Multi-purpose Recreational Park


Congratulations to everyone for the fabulous efforts in 2019 which have made these recognitions possible.  

Ayekoo Golden Star!!!

If you'd like to find out more about Golden Star and its approach to CSR, please visit www.gsr.com/responsibility.