A 12-year-old schoolboy known to be a student of Boadua Presby Junior High School, tragically lost his life after falling in an uncovered mining pit dug by illegal miners in the town.
The sad event happened on the early morning of Thursday, March 6, 2025. According to reports, the abandoned pit was close to the victim’s home in Boadua, a suburb of Akwatia in the Eastern Region.
It is reported that the victim, an orphan, was seen playing near the uncovered pit when he accidentally fell into it. Eyewitnesses helped to rescue the victim, but he was found dead upon retrieval. His body was thus sent to the St. Dominic Catholic Hospital morgue in Akwatia.
Despite government’s efforts to curb illegal mining in the country, the practice is still seen going on rampantly in many towns.
The death of this 12-year-old schoolboy is one of the many deaths that have been caused by abandoned pits which are usually left uncovered by illegal miners in the country. These abandoned and open pits contribute to land degradation, soil erosion, and water pollution, causing severe damage to the land and the surrounding water bodies. Major rivers such as Pra, Offin and Ankobra, have been affected by these uncouth acts.
Government has deployed military task forces to combat illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey.
This tragic event has reignited concerns of the general public about the devastation illegal mining is causing in the country. There have been calls for stricter enforcement of laws, protection of vulnerable individuals living close to areas where illegal mining is taking place and improved reclamation efforts.
Source: Dehotpress
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