A 38-year-old man, with a popularly nicknamed as Enno Oforiwaa, has tragically lost his life after falling into an abandoned galamsey pit at an illegal mining site located within the Kwakuru Forest Reserve in Oseikrom, a suburb of Akyem Amenam in the Birim North Municipality of the Eastern Region.
The fatal incident reportedly occurred late Sunday evening, according to local sources. The deceased, believed to be a “puller boy” at the site, was allegedly contracted along with two others—yet to be identified—to drain water from a flooded pit for a fee of GH¢100 each. Unfortunately, Enno Oforiwaa was said to have drowned in the process and died instantly.
Eyewitnesses revealed that his body was secretly retrieved and transported to a private mortuary, identified as Eye and Eye Mortuary, without the knowledge of the police—a move some locals described as an attempt to avoid scrutiny.
In a phone interview, a man known as Arafat, who claims to be the chairman of the mining operations in the area, confirmed the incident.
“I was not around when it happened, but I was informed later. I’ve since reported the case to the police. Enno Oforiwaa was one of our pullers, and I was told he drowned while trying to assist another worker who was being overshadowed by water in the pit,” Arafat stated.
Pressed for the deceased’s real name and background, Arafat admitted that many galamsey workers operate under nicknames, making it difficult to trace their actual identities.
“I don’t know his real name. Everyone called him Enno Oforiwaa. I also don’t know his hometown or any family member. But I’ve been told a relative visited the mortuary, and I hope to meet them tomorrow,” he added.
At the time of filing this report, the Ghana Police Service had not issued any statement on the incident. Investigations are expected to begin in the coming days as authorities attempt to piece together what truly transpired.
The Kwakuru Forest Reserve, where the incident occurred, has long been a controversial site. In recent years, community leaders and residents of Akyem Amenam protested the leasing of the forest to Sikadwaso Global Company Limited for large-scale mining operations under the previous government.
Despite this, the area has become a hotbed of illegal mining (galamsey) activity. Locals say the forest is now overrun by unauthorised miners operating without regulation or oversight—leading to rampant environmental destruction and frequent accidents like the one that claimed Oforiwaa’s life.
As investigations commence, residents of Akyem Amenam are once again calling on authorities to intervene swiftly and restore order to the Kwakuru Forest Reserve.
By: Isaac Osei
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