The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) presented Gold Fields Ghana Limited with the Best Tax Payer Award for 2012 at its annual awards ceremony in Accra this week. The ceremony honouring Gold Fields Ghana was held at the State Banquet hall and it recognised corporate institutions for their significant contributions to government revenue in terms of taxes paid. In 2012, Gold Fields Ghana contributed a total of US$250million to Government revenue. The GRA also honoured the company’s staff that worked hard in the year. Presenting the award, the Commissioner General of the Ghana Revenue Authority, George Blankson, said the Authority was pleased with Gold Fields Ghana and has keenly watched the company’s commitment to the development of the country’s economy over the years. Gold Fields Ghana makes a significant contribution to the Ghanaian economy through the payment of taxes, job creation, and sustainable development projects and activities. He added that Gold Fields Ghana’s commitment to the socio economic development of communities in which it operated and the country could not be over-emphasised. Gold Fields Ghana, through the Gold Fields Ghana Foundation, has contributed US$34million to community projects in the areas of education, health, water and sanitation, infrastructure and major sporting and environmental conservation sponsorships. The mining company’s total investment since the mid-1990s has been to the tune of US2.4 billion. It is the largest gold producer in Ghana and the single biggest private sector employer in the country, with 5,273 employees and total indirect employment created of 83,167. Mr Blankson congratulated Gold Fields Ghana and urged the company not to relent in its hard work. In 2012, Gold Fields Ghana contributed a total of US$250million to Government revenue in the form of taxes, dividend and royalties. In 2011, the company’s total payment to government was US$350million. In the 2011 Ghana Club 100 awards, the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC) named Gold Fields Ghana as the Highest Tax Payer for the year. Gold Fields Ghana has been in the Ghanaian mining industry since 1993 and contributes significantly to Government revenue every year. In line with its commitment to its vision “to be the global leader in sustainable gold mining”, Gold Fields Ghana also invests in the sustainable development of the communities in which it operates. Annually, the company commits about US$2million to the development of its communities in its focused areas. In 2012 alone, US$4.5million was invested in communities.