The Ashanti Regional Security Council has directed the owners of the mine site that collapsed yesterday at Kyekyerewere to protect their concession to avert another accident.
Six suspected illegal miners were killed when a pit owned by the Oweriman Mining Company collapsed on them.
Several others were injured.
One of the survivors, told Luv News he and his colleagues, numbering about ten, failed to use supporting structures because they were desperately searching for gold.
Luv News’ Erastus Asare Donkor reports that residents there are unmoved by the disaster.
Some galamsey operators were found mining at the same site but ran away when they saw the minister and the security personnel approaching, he reports.
The Ashanti Regional Minister Samuel Sarpong today visited the town and urged the owners of the collapsed pit to work with the Municipal Security Council to avert similar incidents in the future.
The mine owners have also been directed to cover the concession until they are ready to undertake proper mining.
Bimpong Marfo, Regional Security Coordinator, said the canny nature of the activities of the small scale miners make it difficult to trace them. He explained that the illegal miners usually create a small entrance through the rock to a bigger space, making it difficult to tell when the illegal activity is going on.
He has therefore charged owners of the concession to safeguard their property with the support of the security agency.
Regional Laison officer of Oweriman Mining Company, Mr. Bill Appiah said the mine gave permission to the illegal miners to operate on two of its concessions.
He therefore found it surprising that the illegal miners came back to ‘hijack’ its operations at Kyekyerewere.
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