23, including 11 children, killed by abandoned galamsey pits – Ashanti Regional Minister

The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr Frank Amoakohene, announced on Monday that at least 23 individuals, comprising 11 children, have perished after tumbling into abandoned illegal mining pits in the Ashanti region. He disclosed that 19 bodies have already been recovered from the pits, while efforts to retrieve the remaining four victims are underway.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new ultramodern office complex of the Minerals Commission in Kumasi, Dr Amoakohene emphasized that many of the victims were residents who inadvertently fell into uncovered pits while traveling to their farmlands. He expressed deep concern over the number of child victims, stating that their untimely deaths have robbed them of their futures.

“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 lamented. Dr Amoakohene informed that the Regional Security Council, with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, has initiated the process of reclaiming and covering abandoned illegal mining pits in the affected communities.

He urged stakeholders to lend their support to securing these sites and protecting residents from further harm. Dr Amoakohene stressed the urgency of the situation, particularly in areas where residents frequently traverse paths to reach their farms, potentially encountering hidden, dangerous pits.