Ghana mining land caves in, 17 persons confirmed dead

Sixteen galamsey operators including two women who defied warnings to stay away from a mining landsite at Kyekyewere a suburb of Dunkwa which was currently being reclaimed, have been confirmed death when a portion of the land caved in on them.

Six others were rushed to the Dunkwa Government Hospital but one Kwesi Atta, 30, who was said to be in critical condition died on admission, bringing the death toll to 17.

Among the dead are Kofi Amankwah, Kwadwo Afful, Abroso, Ama Ishetu, Kwame Appiah, Yaw Kakyire, Kakraba, Ayeshetu Abugri and her 19 year old son Clement Abugri, a Senior High School student who accompanied her mother to the site.

The rest are Kwesi Logo, Abanga, Kwasi Oppong, Atta Panyin, Kennedy, Kwesi Grushi and Kweku Grushi.

The injured are Kofi Ketewa, Gladys Nyantekyi 26, Charity Anabra 25, Mustapha Jaymmogor and Oscar Yeboah have all been admitted at the Kyekyewere Health Centre.

According Chief Superitendant Otu Larbi, Municipal Police Commander, one Mr. Abu Sadique who owns the God First Mining Enterprise in the Kyekyewere community, had closed operations after six months of work on that concession and was reclaiming the land.

He said the group from Kyekyewere and its adjoining community, Amoafo, went to the site that morning and threatened the excavator operator who was in the process of filling the last portion of the land to leave that part for them or face their wrath.

Superintendent Larbi said, the group invaded the land and started mining only for the land to cave in on them.

Source: GNA