Uncovered illegal mining pits have claimed the lives of 23 people, including 12 adults and 11 children, across 19 districts in the Ashanti Region this year, with four additional individuals still missing.
The alarming toll of drownings in abandoned pits was revealed during the Ashanti Regional First Half-Year Review meeting organized by the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC).
Ashanti Regional Minister Dr. Frank Amoakohene, speaking to the media, described the situation as “a key concern to NADMO and the security agencies.” He issued a stern directive to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs), stressing their responsibility to combat illegal mining within their jurisdictions.
Rejecting excuses about inadequate funding, Dr. Amoakohene emphasized that MMDCEs must act promptly on notifications from the Forestry and Minerals Commissions or formally escalate issues to NAIMOS and the RCC. “If you don’t have the funding to fight it at your level, there should be evidence of you writing to NAIMOS or RCC so we can pick it up,” he charged.
In response to the drownings, the RCC has launched targeted land reclamation projects to fill hazardous open pits in high-risk communities. The minister warned that regional security forces would intensify crackdowns on illegal operations near forest reserves, water bodies, and key infrastructure, urging miners to shift to the government-backed cooperative mining framework or face full law enforcement action.
To further protect critical infrastructure, Dr. Amoakohene highlighted the recent establishment of a permanent Forestry Commission post, supported by the UK government, at the Oda Forest Reserve in Numeri. The facility has helped safeguard the Oda Water Treatment Plant from a potential total shutdown due to heavy upstream pollution, thereby securing the region’s water supply.
The minister’s remarks underscore the urgency of addressing the hazardous legacy of illegal mining and the Ashanti Region’s commitment to land reclamation, environmental protection, and public safety.
Source: Apexnewsgh.com