Nominations for the 12th Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA) have officially closed, with organisers recording a significant increase in participation and beginning the assessment of entries submitted across various categories.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines announced that it received 113 entries for this year’s awards, up from 86 entries in 2025, representing a 31.4 percent increase. The Chamber said the growth underscores the awards scheme’s increasing relevance and credibility as a platform for recognising excellence within Ghana’s mining industry.
According to the Chamber, the awards have experienced consistent growth in participation over the past 12 years, attracting entries from mining companies, service providers, industry professionals, journalists and other stakeholders. The organisation noted that the upward trend reflects the value industry players place on transparent recognition of performance, innovation, leadership, safety, sustainability and community impact.
One of the most notable developments this year was the sharp increase in participation within the media category. The Chamber revealed that while the category has traditionally received an average of three entries annually, this year’s competition attracted nine submissions, marking a threefold increase.
The Chamber described the development as encouraging, citing the media’s role in promoting informed public discourse, accountability and a deeper understanding of the economic, environmental and social dimensions of mining.
Commenting on the close of nominations, Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr. Kenneth Ashigbey, said the increase in entries demonstrates growing stakeholder confidence in the awards programme.
“The rise from 86 to 113 entries is a strong endorsement of the Ghana Mining Industry Awards. Over the past 12 years, we have worked to build a rigorous, transparent and respected process that celebrates excellence and encourages continuous improvement across the industry,” he said.
Dr. Ashigbey also highlighted increased participation in categories recognising women in technical and non-technical roles, alongside the growth recorded in the media category.
“We are also pleased with the growth in the female technical and non-technical categories as well as the media category, which reflects increasing interest in women participation, informed and responsible mining journalism,” he added.
The Chamber disclosed that the Adjudicating Board has commenced evaluating submissions based on established criteria for each category. The assessment process will focus on evidence-based achievements, measurable impact, innovation, professional standards, sustainability and contributions to the development of the mining industry.
Following completion of the adjudication process, international professional services firm PwC, the awards scheme’s auditors, will undertake an independent validation exercise. The Chamber said the validation is intended to strengthen confidence in the integrity, consistency and credibility of the results before nominees are officially announced.
The Ghana Chamber of Mines expressed appreciation to all organisations and individuals that submitted entries and wished participants well as the assessment and validation stages progress.
The Ghana Mining Industry Awards has become one of the sector’s flagship recognition platforms, celebrating achievements by mining companies, professionals and other stakeholders while promoting responsible and sustainable mining practices across the country.
Source: businesspostonline
