Ghana: Two persons have now been confirmed dead following the collapse of an illegal mining pit at Mpatuam-Bontefufuo in the Amansie Central District of the Ashanti Region.
The two Yaw Asiedu, 35, and 54-year-old Osei Kwame were mining near an abandoned pit .
Report says four people were at the scene when the incident occurred on Friday night but two managed to escape leaving the two trapped.
One body was retrieved by a rescue team on Friday whiles the last body was retrieved on Saturday.
This is coming on the back of resurgence in illegal mining activity popularly known as galamsey in parts of the country.
Meanwhile President Akufo Addo has dismissed the District Chief Executive of Amansie South William Asante Bediako.
Mr Bediako was captured in a viral video stating his disagreement with the state-sponsored clampdown on illegal mining.
“Why would I not support ‘galamsey’? Had it not been for ‘galamsey’, we would not have had a storey building at Manso; had it not been ‘galamsey’ and hardworking nature of the people of Manso, a young person from Manso would not have been able to purchase a car worth one billion Cedis,” he is heard saying on the tape.
According to reports, the video was shot at a ceremony to commission a toilet facility at Manso Tontokrom, a town within the district.
President Akufo-Addo launched the Operation Vanguard to quell illegal mining activities which have wreaked havoc to Ghana’s freshwater bodies and vegetation across the country.
By Fred Dzakpata
