The government has been urged to pursue policies that will promote the growth of the mining industry. Joshua Mortoti, President of the Ghana Chamber of Mines (GCM), who made the call, said the government must not be influenced by politics but policies that would help promote the growth of the sector. Mr Mortoti was speaking at the 9th Ghana Mining Industry Awards (GMIA) in Accra on the theme: 'Celebrating Excellence: Embracing Sustainable Mining Practices,' the programme was used to celebrate outstanding achievements and excellence in the mining industry. In all, the GCM awarded 23 individuals and organisations in 23 categories with Newmont Gold Ridge Akyem Mine winning the Mining Company of the Year Award after sweeping several awards, Interplast Ghana Limited won two awards, namely Best Performer in Mine Supplies and Support Services and Best Performer in Local Manufacturing of Mine Inputs. Mr Eric Asubonteng, a former President of GCM wining the Mining Personality of the Year, while the Best Female Mi ner Non-technical went to Charlotte Fafa Tay Senyo, and the Best Female Miner Technical Went to Ellen Serwaa Kontoh. Mr Mortoti, in his address, urged the government to relook the mining fiscal tax regime, especially concerning exploration. He said without exploration the mining industry would grind to a halt, pointing out that the country could benefit immensely from its abundant mineral resources if the government decided to invest in exploration and incentivize the private sector to venture into that. 'We cannot continue to leave the exploration of our mineral resources in the hands of private entities and expect to have most of the benefits when commercial finds are made,' the President of GCM said. Mr Mortoti said the introduction of the Growth and Stabilisation Levy endangered the continuous operations of some mines and risks curtailing expected cash flows, saying such outcomes would hurt the state's revenue objectives and threaten employment. The President of GCM reiterated his organisation's comm itment to supporting the government in its pursuit of socio-economic development and urged the government to deepen collaboration with the mining industry for mutually beneficial policies to drive growth at all levels. Mr Mortoti said the awards were not only to recognize outstanding achievements within the mining sector, but also to reflect on the importance of adopting sustainable and innovative practices, which would shape the future of the industry. The Chief Executive Officer of the GCM, Dr Sulemanu Koney, in his remarks, urged mining companies to integrate innovation, efficiency, environmental stewardship, and people-centered policies into their operations. He also urged mining companies to ensure that the benefits of mining trickle down to citizens especially those of their communities not only today for but for future generations. 'As we enjoy this evening of recognition and camaderie, let us carry the spirit of celebration forward, fostering a culture of excellence and sustainability within our i ndustry,' Dr Koney stated. The Director of the Communications and External Relations of Newmont, David Johnson, said Newmont was excited about the award. He said the award would spur Newmont to do more to generate more for the host communities, the company and the government. Source: Ghana News Agency