Host and Win it was as the Health and Safety Team of Golden Star Wassa Mine in the Western Region of Ghana, put up a splendid performance to emerge tops, during the Zone 1 of the 2018 Inter Mines First Aid and Safety Competition.
Golden Star Wassa mine’s five-member team, led by Ms. Lovia Aryeetey beat competition from three other mine companies- AngloGold Ashanti Iduapriem Mine, Ghana Manganese Company and Newmont Ghana Golden Ridge Akyem Mine to emerge tops from the Zone 1 competition.
The annual competition is organized under the collaborative auspices of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, the Inspectorate Division of the Minerals Commission and the St. John Ambulance Ghana for all the mining companies in Ghana. The theme for this year’s competition is “Safety: A Bedrock of Responsible Mining”.
The competition was in two (2) parts- the Oral quiz competition telecast on national television, GTV and the practicals which was hosted by Golden Star Wassa Mine at Akyempim in the Western Region.
Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Mr. Sulemanu Koney noted the importance of safety in the pursuit of sustainable mining and environmental responsibility.
According to him, this year’s theme “is indeed timely and profoundly appropriate in an era where the wanton devastation of our environment is worsened by preventable deaths and tragedies due mainly to unregulated activities of illegal mining”. He noted that as miners, safety was a critical ingredient to the sustainability of the Ghanaian mining sector hence the chamber’s continuous emphasis on it.
Mr. Koney said, “our toils will mean nothing if even one life is lost in the course of our operations. By extension, we are wont to ensure that the safety precautions and first aid skills go beyond our working environment to our homes, schools, hospitals, and social settings.
In an interview, the Managing Director of Golden Star Wassa Mine, Shadrach Adjetey Sowah expressed delight at the performance of his team. According to him, the outcome of the competition is a testament to the importance Golden Star Wassa Mine places on the issue of safety.
He said “Safety is central to our operations. And for this reason, our employees and inhabitants of our catchment communities are constantly reminded about the need to ensure safety at all times irrespective of where one finds himself or herself. Whether at school, church or at work, we need to live safe and work safe”.
Golden Star Wassa Mine scored 53.5 in addition to the 19 points they bagged during the Quiz competition to emerge with an overall score of 72.5 points. They were followed by Newmont Golden Ridge Limited with 63.5 points, third was Ghana Manganese Company with 40.5 points with Anglogold Ashanti Iduapriem coming fourth with 13 points.
The national contest is scheduled for the month November 2018.
