Illegal miners have encroached on land earmarked for a school park at Konkoma in the Bosomtwe District of the Ashanti Region, leaving behind a trail of environmental destruction and creating serious safety concerns for pupils and residents.
The miners, in their quest for gold, have dug dangerously close to the Konkoma D/A Basic School and the community health centre, both of which now face growing threats from the unregulated activities.
What was once the only school park and playground for children and the wider community has now been turned into a stretch of deep pits and unstable ground — located less than 100 meters from the school and the health facility.
According to school authorities, the pits pose a major safety hazard to pupils, while the stagnant water left behind has become a breeding ground for mosquitoes, worsening health conditions for patients at the nearby clinic.
Assembly Member for the Konkoma Electoral Area, Stephen Abrokwah, described the situation as alarming, warning that continued illegal mining could endanger lives and disrupt education.
Citi News sources indicate that National Security operatives have already made some arrests in connection with the mining activities.
Meanwhile, the District Chief Executive (DCE) for Bosomtwe, Engineer Abdullah Hamidu, has led a reclamation exercise to restore the degraded land and has vowed to bring all perpetrators to justice.
He is also appealing to residents to cooperate with authorities in the fight against galamsey to protect the environment and safeguard the future of children in the area.
