The Ghana Chamber of Mines has closed nominations for the 12th Ghana Mining Industry Awards, with 113 entries received, representing a 31.4 per cent increase over the 86 entries submitted in the previous year.

The Chamber said the increase reflected growing interest in the awards and confidence in the scheme as a platform for recognising excellence across Ghana's mining industry.

Entries were received from mining companies, service providers, professionals, journalists and other industry stakeholders, with categories recognising performance in areas including innovation, leadership, safety, sustainability and community impact.

The media category recorded a notable increase in participation, with nine entries submitted this year compared with an average of three entries annually in previous years.

The Ghana Chamber of Mines said the growth in the media category was significant given the role of journalists in informing the public, promoting accountability and improving understanding of the economic, social and environmental aspects of mining.

Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Chamber of Mines, Ing. Dr Kenneth Ashigbey, said the increase in entries was an indication of growing confidence in the awards scheme.

He said the Chamber had, over the past 12 years, worked to establish a rigorous and transparent process for recognising excellence and encouraging continuous improvement in the mining industry.

Dr Ashigbey also noted increased participation in the female technical and non-technical categories, which he said reflected growing interest in women's participation in the industry.

The Adjudicating Board has commenced assessment of the entries against established criteria for each category.

The assessment will consider evidence, measurable impact, innovation, professional standards, sustainability and contributions to the advancement of the mining industry.

Following the adjudication, PwC, the auditors for the awards scheme, will conduct an independent validation exercise.

The Chamber said the validation was intended to provide additional assurance on the integrity, consistency and credibility of the adjudication process before the nominees are announced.

The Ghana Chamber of Mines expressed appreciation to organisations and individuals who submitted entries and wished participants well as the assessment and validation processes continue.