A woman and her six-month-old baby have died after drowning in an abandoned illegal mining pit at Bobeam in the Bosome Freho District of the Ashanti Region.
The tragic incident occurred on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, and has reignited concerns over the dangers posed by uncovered pits left behind by illegal mining activities.
Residents say the deceased had recently relocated to the community with her husband, Fuseini, to take up farming.
In an interview with the Bosome Freho NADMO Director, Adom Kyei Seth, the deceased had gone to fetch water when she accidentally slipped and fell into the abandoned pit with her six-month-old baby strapped to her back.
Her nine-year-old son, who witnessed the incident, immediately ran to inform his father, but help arrived too late.
The NADMO director indicated that due to the rains, the bodies could not be retrieved on Wednesday but on Thursday and were buried on Friday according to Islamic customs and tradition.
The incident has thrown the Bobeam community into mourning, with residents expressing frustration over the continued existence of abandoned galamsey pits in the area.
They say the uncovered pits have become death traps, posing a significant risk to women, children and farmers who move around the community daily.
Residents are now calling on authorities and mining regulators to urgently reclaim and seal off abandoned mining sites to prevent similar tragedies in the future.
Meanwhile the NADMO director is calling on traditional leaders and community members to collaborate with NADMO in identifying and reclaiming or covering galamsey pits.
Explore the world of impactful news with CitiNewsroom on WhatsApp!
Click on the link to join the Citi Newsroom channel for curated, meaningful stories tailored just for YOU:
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VaCYzPRAYlUPudDDe53x
No spam, just the stories that truly matter! #StayInformed #CitiNewsroom #CNRDigital
