Golden Star Wassa to host 16th National Inter-Mines First Aid and Safety Competition

Golden Star Wassa mine, owned by China's Chifeng Gold, will host this year’s finals of the annual National Inter-Mines First Aid and Safety Competition in its Akyempim host community.

Six large-scale mining firms in Ghana, Asante Gold Bibiani, Asante Gold Chirano, Adamus Resources, Newmont, Heath Goldfields and Golden Star Wassa, will compete for honours at the 16th edition of the competition on Saturday 24th October 2026.

The mining companies qualified for the finals after two rigorous zonal qualifiers organised by the Ghana Chamber of Mines, in partnership with the St. John’s Ambulance Service and the Minerals Commission. This year’s theme is “Safety First, Safety Always”.

Ahead of the event, Golden Star Wassa CEO Lianghua Lin said safety is the company's ultimate benchmark.

According to him, "The very nature of mining makes safety a non-negotiable priority. Our primary focus is ensuring that work is executed safely every single day, so that every employee returns home whole to their families. Safety is our license to operate."

The annual event, structured as a competition, addresses critical economic and social issues within the extractive industry. Emergency response is a business-critical asset because immediate first-aid readiness mitigates risk, protects infrastructure, and eliminates operational downtime caused by unforeseen incidents.

The competition bridges the gap between mining operations and the public by involving two distinct categories: Mine teams, comprising specialised employees trained to handle high-stakes industrial medical scenarios, and Community teams, made up of residents from local host communities equipped with primary life-saving skills.

By empowering community members, the program builds a localised safety net. These ordinary citizens return to their neighbourhoods as trained first responders who can manage domestic emergencies, road accidents, and public health crises long before emergency medical services arrive.

Commenting on Golden Star Wassa’s readiness to host and participate in the event, the Health, Safety and Environment (HSE) Manager of Golden Star Wassa, Mr Kojo Ansah, said corporate responsibility must extend beyond the balance sheet.

He emphasised that hosting the national tournament, along with extensive employee and community training leading up to it, demonstrates GSR management's strong commitment to safety.

Mr Ansah said, “When we invest in first-aid competency, we are explicitly investing in the long-term sustainability of our workforce and host communities."

He was emphatic about Golden Star Wassa's chances of emerging winners on the day.

Golden Star Wassa holds a premier record in the tournament's history, having clinched the zonal championship 6 times and the national title five times. “

Hosting this edition further solidifies our position as a benchmark for safety standards in Ghana's mining landscape”. Mr. Ansah stated.