Five galamsey operators killed in mining pit
Five illegal small-scale miners were killed on Saturday in Mpohor in the Mpohor Wassa East District of the Western Region when the pit they were working in collapsed on them.
The dead included four females and a male.
They are Monica Sam, 30, Sister Panyin, 19, Sister Diana, 35, Regina Esi Wamaboko, 30 and Richard Tettey, 24.
The Kwesimintsim District Police Commander, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Ayamga Aklogo Yakubu, confirmed the tragic incident to the Ghana News Agency in an interview.
He said the incident occurred at about 1100 hours when the deceased were operating in one of the pits ceded to them by the Golden Star Resources Limited, a mining firm in the Mpohor area.
DSP Yakubu said the mining company ceded some parts of its concession to the “galamsey operators” to avoid encroachment on the rest of the concession.
The corpses had been deposited at the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital pending autopsy.
DSP Yakubu said four other miners escaped death narrowly, but were severely injured and receiving treatment at the same hospital.
They are Mary Kwofie, Philip Obeng, Esther Cudjoe and Kenneth Sai.
The District Police Commander said investigations are underway.
Source: GNA