Mine death toll is grossly exaggerated - NADMO

Kumasi, July 19, GNA - The Ashanti Regional Office of the National Disaster Management Organization has denied media reports that put the death toll of the Ataaso mine disaster at 12, saying the figure was grossly exaggerated.

A statement signed by Mohammed Moro, Public Relations Officer, said one miner was trapped to death and two others sustained injuries.

The NADMO officials had stayed at the site of the disaster for two days and are on top of the situation on the ground.

It said a team led by the Regional Coordinator, Alhaji Mohammed Bulamatari, and the Atwima-Mponua District Co-ordinator, Mr Osei Asibey, had also been to the Toase mortuary, where the deceased body is being kept as well as the intensive care unit of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital to see the injured on admission.

Their investigations revealed that one other person escaped unhurt, but had gone underground for fear of arrest.

It said NADMO strongly objects to the news report carried by the Daily Graphic's in its Saturday July 17 edition, under the banner headline "Another Galamsey Tragedy; 12 Trapped to Death", since it was a misrepresentation of the true picture.

The statement counselled journalists to be cautious and circumspect in filing of news stories about disasters, whenever and wherever they might strike.

The tragedy occurred on Thursday July 15 in the Ataaso Forest Reserve near Kotokuom in the Atwima-Mponua District when a mine pit collapsed on the deceased, identified as Kwaku alias "G-12" and a group of illegal miners whilst digging for the ore.

Issa Mohammed, 27, and Wisdom Tsole, 24, suffered cuts and broken bones and are receiving treatment at KATH.