By Amoako Kwame
A mine collapse at Tontokrom in the Asutifi South District in the Ahafo Region, has killed nine illegal miners and injured four others severely.
The victims are part of a growing number of illegal miners operating in the region, raising concerns about safety and enforcement in small-scale mining operations.
Following initial fears that more miners were trapped beneath the debris, the Assemblyman and local authorities mobilized residents to dig through the collapsed earth, after hours of searching, no additional victims were found. The site has since been covered to prevent further danger. The injured persons are receiving treatment at the St. Elizabeth Hospital in Hwidiem.
The exact cause of the collapse remains unclear, but experienced small-scale miners in the area suggested that the victims may have failed to reinforce the pit walls with wooden pegs, a common safety measure used to prevent cave-ins during excavation.
The enclave has been noted as a hotspot for illegal mining activities locally known as galamsey.
Authorities also told journalists the collapse occurred despite ongoing interventions by the National Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Small-Scale Mining (NAIMOS), which had previously attacked illegal miners in the area.
