At least 23 people, including 11 children, have lost their lives after falling into abandoned illegal mining pits in the Ashanti Region, Regional Minister Dr Frank Amoakohene has disclosed.

The Minister said the deaths occurred in different communities where residents, particularly farmers, use routes that have been left dangerous by unfilled mining pits.

Speaking at the commissioning of the new ultramodern office complex of the Minerals Commission in Kumasi on Monday, August 24, 2026, Dr Amoakohene said 19 of the victims had so far been retrieved, while efforts were ongoing to recover four bodies still trapped underground.

He said the victims were not necessarily involved in illegal mining but had fallen into uncovered pits while travelling to their farms.

“Twenty-three lives have been lost only because they were on their way to their farms and fell into pits that were left uncovered by miners within the various areas,” he said.

Dr Amoakohene expressed particular concern over the number of children who have died in the incidents, describing their deaths as a tragic consequence of abandoned mining activities.

“Eleven of them are children whose future has been cut short because someone, in his quest for money, left a pit uncovered within some of these areas that lead to farmlands,” he said.

Authorities intensify pit reclamation

The Regional Minister said authorities had begun steps to address the growing threat posed by abandoned mining sites.

According to him, the Regional Security Council, in collaboration with the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, is undertaking an exercise to reclaim and cover abandoned illegal mining pits in affected communities.

He said the exercise would continue across areas identified as posing risks to residents.

Dr Amoakohene urged communities, mining stakeholders and other relevant institutions to support efforts to secure abandoned mining sites and prevent further deaths.

He stressed that immediate action was necessary, particularly in farming communities where residents regularly use pathways around former mining sites.

The Minister’s disclosure has renewed concerns over the dangers posed by abandoned illegal mining pits and the need for stronger measures to ensure that mined areas are properly reclaimed and made safe for surrounding communities.