One Dead, Three Injured In Illegal Mining Pit Collapse At Assin Subriso.

One person has been confirmed dead while three others sustained injuries after an illegal mining pit collapsed at Subriso in the Assin North District of the Central Region.

The victims were reportedly trapped in a galamsey pit while working when the collapse occurred.

Community members rushed to the scene and managed to rescue the four individuals.

Confirming the incident, the Assin North District Police Commander, Superintendent Eric Yao Avudzivi, said one of the victims was rushed to St. Francis Xavier Hospital for treatment but was pronounced dead on arrival by medical officials on duty.

He added that the body has since been deposited at the hospital’s morgue for preservation and autopsy, while efforts are underway to trace the deceased’s family.

The District Commander also revealed that police are working to identify the owner of the illegal mining site.

Meanwhile, enquiries by Rich FM News indicate that the three injured persons, who sustained varying degrees of injuries, declined further medical treatment at a recognized health facility.

The collapsed pit is located between Aniakragya and Subriso, an area widely regarded as a hotspot for illegal mining activities, popularly known as galamsey.

The latest tragedy has renewed concerns about safety standards and the apparent lack of effective enforcement against illegal mining in the Assin enclave.

The case is currently under investigation by the Assin North District Police Command.

Investigations by Angel FM’s Kwame Owusu Asante Shadrack suggest that many of the illegal mining operations in the area are allegedly dominated by foreign nationals, particularly from Liberia and Burkina Faso, some of whom are reported to be armed. Nonetheless, several local residents are also said to be involved in the activities, mainly working for daily wages.

Illegal mining continues to have devastating consequences not only for human lives but also for the environment.

Major water bodies such as the Pra River and Offin River have been heavily polluted, affecting farming activities and threatening the livelihoods of women, children and entire communities that depend on these water sources.

The Assin area has recorded similar incidents in recent years. On November 23, 2025, a 35-year-old Burkinabè national, Alex Missiso Kudjo, drowned in the Pra River at Assin Breman near Kushea.

Earlier, on April 2, 2025, a police officer with the Central North Regional Police Anti-Galamsey Taskforce also drowned in the Offin River during an anti-illegal mining operation at Domeabra near Assin Awisam.

In April 2024, two suspected illegal miners also lost their lives when their canoe capsized on the Pra River at Awisam in the Assin Fosu Municipality.

Residents say the persistent loss of lives and widespread environmental destruction are occurring in full view of some traditional and local authorities, including chiefs, queen mothers, and district and municipal executives.

According to them, the situation raises serious concerns about accountability and the enforcement of laws against illegal mining.

Call for report…0542466653.

Story by Asante Shadrack.