At least 23 people, including 11 children, have died after falling into abandoned illegal mining pits, known locally as galamsey pits, across the Ashanti Region.
Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, disclosed the tragic news on Monday during the opening of a new Minerals Commission office in Kumasi. He revealed that search teams have retrieved 19 bodies so far, while four victims remain trapped underground.
Most of the deceased were local residents and young children who accidentally fell into the uncovered pits while walking along pathways to their farms.
“Twenty-three lives have been lost only because they were on their way to their farms and fell into pits that were left uncovered by miners within the various areas. Only 19 have been recovered from the pits; the remaining four we have not been able to recover,” he said.
“Eleven of them are children whose future has been cut short because someone, in his quest for money, left a pit uncovered within some of these areas that lead to farmlands,” he added.
In response to the growing danger, the Regional Security Council and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources have launched an ongoing effort to fill and restore abandoned mining sites.
Dr. Amoakohene urged local leaders and community members to support these safety measures to protect residents and prevent further loss of life.
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
