International Women’s Day serves as a reminder that progress is shaped by people and sustained by inclusive leadership. Across Ghana’s mining sector, efforts to broaden participation and expand opportunities are gradually redefining what inclusive leadership looks like.
At Newmont’s Ahafo North mine, that shift is visible in both ambition and action, reflecting the company’s belief that balanced representation leads to better decision-making, stronger community relationships and long-term value creation.
Inclusion is a core value integrated into Newmont’s work culture aimed at promoting a safe and respectful environment where all employees can contribute, develop, and thrive.
One of the women exemplifying Newmont’s inclusion journey is Abena Acheampomaa Ankomah, who leads Newmont’s community and social performance work at the company’s Ahafo North mine.
In 2025, Abena was honoured as Best Female Miner in the Non-Technical category at the 11th Ghana Mining Industry Awards. For her, the recognition is not just a personal milestone. It reflects years of dedication, difficult conversations, long days in the field, and an unwavering commitment to doing what is right for both the business and the communities it serves.
A seasoned sustainability professional with nearly two decades of experience in Ghana’s mining industry, Abena’s leadership has been instrumental in advancing Newmont’s environmental and social performance. During a defining phase of the $1 billionAhafo North Project, she led critical baseline studies that formed the basis for evaluating the project’s impact and progress over time.
She also led a $4 million Ahafo North influx management project, which identified potential influx impacts and helped build host community resilience as the influx increased. She oversaw a comprehensive livelihood restoration programme, ensuring that persons affected by the Ahafo North project were treated with dignity and supported with practical solutions.
Abena played a key role in the successful diversion of a 9.5km section of the N6 Highway, a critical milestone for the completion of the Ahafo North project. These achievements may not always make headlines, yet they are foundational to establishing a standard for responsible mine development and community acceptance.
For Abena, the work has always been about people. It is about listening carefully, building relationships patiently, and ensuring that development creates opportunity rather than disruption. It is about ensuring that growth includes everyone.
Her journey reflects what is possible when women are empowered, trusted, and supported to lead. It represents Newmont’s belief that balanced representation strengthens decision-making, deepens community relationships, and drives sustainable performance. Through leaders like Abena, that vision is taking meaningful shape every day.
As we mark International Women’s Day, her story reminds us that inclusion is not abstract. It is a daily commitment reflected in the opportunities we create and the leaders we elevate. And when women are empowered, communities thrive, and industries grow stronger.
By investing in women, Newmont is not only transforming its workforce but also delivering stronger outcomes for communities, partners and Ghana’s mining industry as a whole.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com