Tragedy struck the farming community of Sefwi Akuraa in Amenfi West, located in Ghana's Western Region, as the body of a three-year-old girl was found in an illegal mining pit, commonly known as a galamsey pit. The discovery was made on Sunday afternoon, three days after the child went missing.
Maame Yaa, the mother of the little girl, recounted the heartbreaking sequence of events. Last Friday, she had been with her daughter in their room but needed to step out briefly to buy a watermelon. Upon her return, she noticed her daughter was no longer in the room. However, she soon found her daughter playing happily with other children nearby. Trusting that her daughter was safe, Maame Yaa left her there to continue her play.
Later in the day, when Maame Yaa returned to check on her daughter, she found that the little girl was nowhere to be seen. Concern quickly turned to panic as hours passed without any sign of the child. Desperate and distraught, Maame Yaa notified the community elders, who promptly organized a search team to comb the entire area.
Oscar Boafo, the Unit Committee Chairman, shared some critical background information about the situation. He revealed that the community had previously requested that illegal miners cover the particular pit where the tragedy occurred. Unfortunately, the machine brought in for the job was not suitable, and they had to send it back and wait for a more appropriate one, which had not yet arrived.
Boafo expressed his deep sorrow over the incident and emphasized the urgency of filling the pit to prevent such tragedies from happening again. In response to this heartbreaking event, the community has called for an excavator to fill the dangerous pit immediately.
Boafo also highlighted broader challenges facing Sefwi Akuraa, including the absence of a chief. This lack of leadership, he said, contributes to a sense of lawlessness, allowing people to engage in activities like illegal mining without fear of punishment. The absence of a chief has left a vacuum in authority, making it difficult to enforce rules and maintain order in the community.
The tragic death of the young girl has brought to light the severe risks and dangers posed by illegal mining activities in the region. Galamsey pits, often left uncovered and unprotected, pose significant hazards to residents, especially children who may unwittingly wander into these areas.
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