in Ghana gold mine collapse that
occurred near the town of
Kyekyewere, north of capital
Accra.
A mine has collapsed in Ghana's
central gold-producing region
killing at least 16 people who
were working illegally and had
been told to leave by the
operator, local police have said.
A total of 16 bodies were
recovered from the site of the
incident near the town of
Kyekyewere on Monday
afternoon, according to area
police commander William Otu.
The town is about 300km north
of the capital Accra.
The operator had completed its
work in the area and had
returned only to shut down the
mine and affirm its claim to the
land, Otu added, without
identifying the company.
Otu said the operator found
several people from the local
community mining illegally, who
refused when asked to leave.
Not long after, "the operator got
information that the mine caved
in and covered the people," the
police commander said.
The west African nation of about
25 million people is one of the
world's top gold exporters.
Many of the mining operations
revolve around unlicensed – and
hence illegal – outfits, known
locally as galamsey, which are
often funded by foreign
speculators and criminals.
According to an Al Jazeera
investigation, some of the
operators even employ children,
and pay less than six US dollars a
day, in "primitive" working
conditions.
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