At least nine suspected illegal miners have died after a mining pit caved in at Tontokrom at  Atta ne Atta in the Asutifi South District of the Ahafo Region.

Four others who sustained injuries in the collapse have been rushed to a nearby health facility and are receiving treatment.

The area, long regarded as a hotspot for illegal small-scale mining — commonly referred to as galamsey — has seen repeated safety concerns over unregulated operations.

Authorities indicated that the incident occurred despite ongoing interventions by the National Inter-Ministerial Taskforce on Small-Scale Mining, which has previously faced resistance, including reported attacks, while carrying out operations in the area.

The tragedy adds to the growing number of fatalities linked to illegal mining activities across the region, intensifying calls for stricter enforcement and improved safety measures within Ghana’s small-scale mining sector.