Accra: Assemblyman for the Apremede-Oseikrom Electoral Area, Mannah Mustapha, reported that the landowner of the site where nine young men perished in a galamsey pit collapse had previously instructed the miners to vacate the area. In an exclusive interview on Adom FM's morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mustapha expressed his sorrow over the incident and explained that both he and the landowner had attempted to halt the illegal mining activities before the tragic event.
According to Ghana Web, Mustapha mentioned that the illegal mining operations had only recently commenced and were primarily conducted at night to evade detection. He stated, "It has not been long since they started. They were doing it at night. The landowner asked them to stop just a few days before the incident happened, but they did not listen." Mustapha further disclosed that the landowner had proactively taken measures to safeguard the land upon discovering the illicit activities.
The assemblyman revealed, "Per what the landowner told me, he asked his people to arrange security to protect the place." Additionally, Mustapha recounted that officers from the Kenyasi Police Station had visited the site approximately a week before the collapse following reports of galamsey activities. "The police came there to take pictures of the place when they heard about the illegal mining. That was even before the unfortunate incident happened," he explained.
Community leaders, including Mustapha, were actively attempting to deter the illegal mining practices. "We were all trying to stop them. The police only took pictures as evidence. It was about three to four days after the galamsey started that the unfortunate incident happened," he added.
The tragic collapse took place at Atta ne Atta in the Asutifi South District of the Ahafo Region late Saturday night February 28, 2026, extending into the early hours of Sunday March 1, 2026. The calamity resulted in the deaths of nine young men, while four others remain in critical condition and are currently receiving treatment at St Elizabeth Hospital in Hwidiem.