Seven people have been confirmed dead and five others are injured after an illegal mining pit collapsed in Birim North, Eastern Region. The unfortunate incident occurred at the Korle Teye Takoroso mining site. Rescue workers are still searching for other victims who are feared trapped under the debris.
According to a witness, Yaa Yeboah, the illegal miners were working in the pit when it collapsed at around 10 am on Monday. The cause of the accident is yet to be determined, but residents believe heavy rainfall might have played a role in it.
Efforts to reach officials from National Disaster Management Organisation, the Police, and Fire Service proved unsuccessful.
The incident is a grim reminder of the dangers of illegal mining, which affects many lives and poses numerous environmental hazards. Apart from safety concerns for miners, illegal mining also destroys habitats and pollutes water bodies.
In May, three people died, while forty others were trapped in a pit in Breman, Upper Denkyira West District in the Central Region. In November 2021, ten people died, and four others were injured after a mining pit collapsed in Wassa Esikuma, Prestea Huni Valley Municipality, Western Region. On March 18, 2022, two pregnant women who were engaged in galamsey died in a pit in Denkyira-Ayanfuri in the Central Region.
It’s high time the government took action to enforce laws and crack down on illegal mining activities. The harm caused by these activities is too devastating to be neglected, and the lives lost are too many to be forgotten.
