The incident, which occurred on Monday night, has been linked to illegal mining activities near an old shaft that runs through the Tarkwa municipality.
Traders and residents are raising serious concerns, warning that the ongoing operations of illegal miners in the area not only endanger lives but also put critical infrastructure—such as overhead power lines—at risk, with broader implications for national security.
Local journalist Esi Brew noted that this isn’t the first time such a collapse has happened in Tarkwa or nearby communities. She pointed out that many similar incidents—though smaller in scale—often go unreported or are quietly dealt with.
She also recalled that just last year, a portion of the Nana Angu Road, commissioned in 2019, caved in due to similar underground disturbances, causing major traffic disruptions.
The Acting Western Regional Director of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Ms. Sophia Ama Otabil, has confirmed that the cave-in has significant environmental consequences for the Tarkwa municipality.
She revealed that a preliminary assessment by the EPA pointed to unlicensed miners as the cause, noting that they had exceeded safe blasting limits—often carrying out the dangerous activity at night.
Mr. Ronald Regan Ofosu, the Municipal NADMO Operations Officer, added that the incident could have turned deadly if it had occurred during business hours, as traders typically occupy the area. He explained that locals have taken over tunnels from an old underground mine shaft, mining recklessly and weakening the natural rock formations that support the ground above.
Worried by the growing risks, residents are now calling for urgent government intervention to prevent further disasters in the municipality.
