The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, has disclosed that the Operator of the quarry where the explosion occurred on Sunday, September 10, 2023 ”was not fully licenced for operation”.
He said upon completion of investigations, ”all those whose dereliction of duty contributes to the incident will be made to face the full rigours of the law”.
Mr. Darko-Mensah, who was at the scene of the incident, described the happenings as ”unacceptable”.
Meanwhile, four out of six injured persons sent to the Effia-Nkwanta Regional Hospital have been discharged, with two still on admission as one person is in critical condition.
Doctors indicate that the victim at Takoradi Hospital has been stabilised.
The Minerals Commission has confirmed that the quarry which exploded at Kobenandohkrom in the Shama District of the Western Region on Sunday was operating illegally.
In a related development, a nine-member Committee has been inaugurated to investigate the cause of last Saturday’s explosion at Kobina-Andohkrom in the Shama District of the Western Region.
It is under the Chairmanship of the Chief Director of the Western Region Coordinating Council, Mr Frederick Agyeman.
The Committee has representation from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), National Disaster Management Organisation, NADMO Shama, Works Engineer Shama, Assembly Member for Anto-Abosso, the Police, the Fire Service, the Minerals Commission, and the Ghana Health Service.
The Western Regional Minister, Kwabena Okyere Darko-Mensah, who inaugurated the Committee said they have three weeks to present their report.
The Committee has the mandate to investigate the cause of the explosion and the Company’s legal status with regard to licencing and permitting.
The Committee is further to ascertain the company’s use of explosives and the capacity to so as well as the safety protocols on site.
Under its mandate, the “Committee will make recommendations which will prevent the recurrence of such incidents”.
