BY Nadia Ntiamoah
A fresh tragedy linked to illegal mining activities has hit the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region after four suspected illegal miners lost their lives when a mining pit collapsed at Skuumu, a community near Gyaman-Nkwanta.
The fatal incident, which occurred on Wednesday afternoon, has plunged the community into mourning and renewed concerns about the persistent dangers associated with illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, despite ongoing government efforts to curb the practice.
According to residents, the victims were working underground in a galamsey pit at about 4:00 p.m. when the earth suddenly caved in, trapping them beneath the debris.
Eyewitnesses said cries for help echoed through the area immediately after the collapse, drawing scores of residents to the scene in a desperate attempt to save those trapped.
However, the rescue efforts proved difficult due to the unstable nature of the pit and the absence of adequate equipment.
Residents, security personnel and local volunteers reportedly worked for several hours before an excavator was brought in to assist with recovery operations.
The bodies of all four miners were eventually retrieved from the collapsed pit.
One of the deceased has been identified as Solomon Amadevor, while authorities are yet to officially release the identities of the other victims pending notification of their families.
Preliminary information gathered from the area indicates that the land where the tragedy occurred is owned by Volta Resource, a mining company. Residents allege that the site had been made available to illegal miners for mining activities.
The area was also reportedly earmarked for land reclamation works by Logist Group Company Limited, a company contracted by government to restore degraded mining lands.
