At least 23 people have died after falling into abandoned illegal mining pits across the Ashanti Region, with children accounting for 11 of the victims, the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, has disclosed.
According to the Minister, 19 bodies have so far been retrieved, while four people remain trapped inside the abandoned pits.
Dr Amoakohene made the disclosure during the commissioning of a new ultramodern office complex for the Minerals Commission in Kumasi.
He said most of the victims were residents who were travelling to their farms when they accidentally fell into uncovered pits left behind by illegal miners.
The Regional Minister described the deaths as tragic and preventable, stressing that properly covering mining pits after mining activities could have saved lives.
He said the deaths of the 11 children were particularly painful because their lives and futures had been cut short by abandoned mining sites.
Reclamation of Abandoned Pits Begins
In response to the growing danger, Dr Amoakohene said the Regional Security Council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has begun reclaiming abandoned illegal mining pits in affected communities.
He appealed to stakeholders to support the reclamation exercise to prevent further deaths and protect residents, particularly farmers who regularly move through areas affected by illegal mining.
Structures Removed from Forest Reserves
The Regional Minister also disclosed that significant measures have been taken to remove permanent structures supporting illegal mining activities from forest reserves in the region.
He said security agencies, working with the Forestry Commission and the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, had removed such structures.
Filling stations established within forest reserves to provide fuel to illegal miners have also reportedly been rendered non-operational.
Dr Amoakohene said the region currently has no filling stations or other permanent structures operating within its forest reserves.
New Facilities for Forest Guards
He further revealed that the government, with support from the United Kingdom, has constructed permanent camps and other facilities along rivers in the region for forest guards.
According to him, the facilities will allow the guards to maintain a stronger presence and improve the protection of the region’s forests and water bodies against illegal activities.
