A 13-year-old girl, Tesnim Iddrisu, has tragically lost her life after drowning in an abandoned galamsey pit at Juaboso in the Western North Region.
According to residents, the young girl had gone to fetch firewood when she slipped and fell into the water-filled pit. The incident has once again drawn attention to the increasing dangers posed by uncovered illegal mining sites in the district.
Juaboso and its surrounding communities have over the years recorded several deaths linked to abandoned pits left behind by illegal miners.
Victims, mostly children and farmers, often drown or fall into these sites, especially during rainfall and farming activities.
The recent tragedy has sparked fear and anger among residents, who say their lives are constantly at risk.
They are therefore appealing to the government, the District Assembly, and security agencies to intensify the fight against illegal mining and, more importantly, ensure proper reclamation of degraded lands.
“We are losing too many innocent lives. If these pits are not covered, more children and farmers will continue to die,” a resident lamented.
Residents insist that immediate action is needed to prevent further loss of lives in the district and across the Western North Region.
