The Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Kwaku Asomah-Cheremeh, says government is committed to bringing a lasting solution to mining-related deaths in Gbani in the Talensi District of the Upper East Region.
At least 16 miners have been confirmed dead,while 15 are currently on admission at the Bolagtanga Regional Hospital.
Two people have however been discharged.
The unfortunate incident happened on Wednesday when a group of miners working under a small scale concessionaire, Kwesi Appiah (A.K.A. Kwesi Batanma), were trapped by smoke after a blast allegedly from Shaanxi mining company.
But addressing a group of miners at Gbani during an emergency visit to the area, the sector minister, Kwaku Cheremeh, who described the incident as tragic, was optimistic of a radical solution to avert future occurrence.
“We have come as Ministry of Lands and Natural resources, Minerals Commission and the Upper East Regional coordinating council to assess the situation and indeed the inspectorate division of the minerals commission to soon come over from Accra to investigate the root cause of the deaths resulting from the blast and give us a report”.