- Two stores at Tarkwa Women’s Market in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality collapsed on September 15, 2025.
- The collapse followed a blast from an abandoned mine shaft belt, reportedly linked to illegal mining activities.
- Traders and residents raised concerns about threats to life, power installations, and national security from ongoing galamsey operations.
- Similar incidents have occurred previously but were often minor and underreported.
- Acting Western Regional Director of the EPA, Sophia Ama Otabil, confirmed the damage and noted that unlicensed miners exceeded safe blasting limits, mostly during nighttime.
Chaos erupted at Tarkwa Women’s Market on Monday, September 15, 2025, when two shops suddenly caved in following a blast from an old, abandoned mine shaft. Authorities link the incident to illegal mining activities along the Tarkwa-Nsuaem belt.
Residents and traders expressed alarm, warning that continuous galamsey operations threaten not only lives but also critical infrastructure, including overhead power lines. Similar collapses have occurred in the area before, although many smaller incidents went unreported, according to journalist Esi Brew.
The Environmental Protection Authority’s Acting Western Regional Director, Sophia Ama Otabil, confirmed that a preliminary assessment pointed to unlicensed miners exceeding safe blasting thresholds, primarily at night. She emphasized the environmental and safety risks such illegal activities pose to the municipality.
The collapse underscores ongoing concerns over galamsey in Tarkwa, highlighting the urgent need for stricter enforcement to protect lives and property.
