Reclamation efforts are underway at the Mpatasia Yaw Nkwanta illegal mining site in the Atwima Mponua District of the Ashanti Region, following the death of four illegal miners within four months, two of whom died on April 1.
The latest death of two other miners in similar circumstances raised serious concerns, prompting the Regional NADMO to direct the district office to urgently cover the open pit.
When the news team visited the site on April 10, 2025, work had already begun to reclaim the land, to restore it for agricultural use.
The deceased were identified as Kwame Charles and another individual known only as Ben. Their bodies were recovered through the combined efforts of community members, the police, and other security agencies.
The Assembly Member for Mpatasia Ahenbronum, Salifu Karim, stated that the decision to cover and reclaim the galamsey site is aimed at preventing any further illegal mining activities.
“We have all agreed to fill the pit so that no one else will go there and lose their life,” he said.
The acting Regional Director of NADMO, Hajj Mohammed Nasir Ibrahim, who was at the site with his team, noted that although part of the galamsey site has been covered, more work needs to be done to complete the reclamation process. He stressed that the entire area must be filled and restored to prevent illegal miners from returning.
Hajj Ibrahim revealed that NADMO is working closely with the district police to enforce day and night patrols at the site. “We believe these illegal miners operate based on intelligence. So once they know that the police are patrolling the area, anyone caught will face serious consequences,” he warned.
Illegal mining continues to claim the lives of many young men across various parts of the country, raising growing concern among the public. Many Ghanaians are questioning the current strategies being used to tackle the issue and are calling for more effective and committed efforts to put an end to the dangerous activities of galamsey operators.
A 2021 analysis of artisanal and small-scale gold mining (ASM) accidents and fatalities in Ghana, based on 22 media reports, identified 36 accidents that led to a total of 622 deaths.
Out of the 36 incidents, only five involved single fatalities, while the remaining 31 caused multiple deaths, highlighting the severe and high-risk nature of ASM activities.
The study revealed that the average annual fatality rate in the small-scale mining sector was 44, significantly higher than the average of five fatalities recorded annually in the large-scale mining industry.
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