Hundreds of mourners on Friday wept uncontrollably during a mass burial held at the Old Appiatse Park for seven out of the 13 persons who lost their lives in the explosion on January 20.
They were Ella Baidoo, a 15-month-old baby, Akua Nyame, 80, Michael Afriyie,19, Justice Kwesi Takwa, 21, Emmanuel Quainoo, 29, Isaac Benny, 45, and Isaac Anane, 35.
The mortal remains of the victims were laid in state around 0400 hours as the mourners, some of whom had traveled from far and near, filed past the coffins.
A Government Delegation was led by Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio, the Deputy Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, and Chairman of the Appiatse Reconstruction Team. Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio led a delegation from the Ministry and other State officials to commiserate with the Chiefs and people of Appiatse as they bury 7 out of the 13 victims who died from the explosion at Appiatse, which occurred on Thursday, 20th January, 2022.
Speaking on behalf of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and the Sector Minister, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, at the burial ceremony, Hon. Benito Owusu-Bio Bio extended condolences of government and the Ministry to the bereaved families.
“We are here on behalf of the President of the Republic, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and my Sector Minister who are on an equally important official duty in Dubai, to sympathize with you in this hard time. They send their heart felt condolences to the Chiefs, people and all the bereaved families. We know this is hard but do take heart”.
He bemoned the sad and sudden situation saying “This is sad and we hope and pray this doesn’t reoccur but as we cry and mourn the dead, we also have to keep in mind that there are others alive who need to be sheltered as soon as possible and we are committed to do this within the shortest possible time”
Hon. Benito who attended the burial ceremony in the company of some members of the Reconstruction Committee and a representative from the Ministry of Roads and Highways, Mr. Samuel Akuaku announced that within a period of 12 months the new Appiatse Commmunity promised by government will be reconstructed into a Green, sustainable and model community.
Hon. Benito on behalf of the Ministry and it’s agencies donated an amount of 30,000 Ghana Cedis to support the Burial and funeral rites as well as the bereaved families.
The seven victims laid in state during the burial ceremony were, Ekua Nyame 80 years old, Isaac Benyin (45), Isaac Anane (35), Emmanuel Quainoo (29), Justice Kwesi Takwa (21), Michael Afriyie (19) and a fifteen months old baby, Ella Baidoo.
According to the disaster relief committee, 4 out of the other 6 victims of the total 13were laid to rest last weekend while the remaining two namely Emmanuel Awingura (24) and Eric Gyimah (24) will be given a private burial by their families in their respective birth homes in the coming days.
Representatives from the bereaved families were given the opportunity to read out tributes in turns and pay their last respects to the deceased.
The Chief of Appiatse, Nana Atta Kwadwo Bremebi expressed his profound gratitude to the President of the Republic, Hon. Samuel A. Jinapor, the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources and all other stakeholders for all efforts towards the rebuilding Appiatse and for sympathizing with them.
He also urged his people to support the project and remain patient as government zooms into the third phase of the project.
The mass burial ceremony which took place at the explosion site in Appiatse, a suburb of Bogoso in the Western Region also had in attendance the Board Chairperson of the Minerals Commission, Hon. Barbara Oteng-Gyasi, MCE for Prestea Huni-Valley Municipal Assembly, Dr. Isaac Dasmani, The MP for Prestea Huni-Valley Constituency, Hon. Robert Wisdom Cudjoe and other mourners from home and abroad.
Four of the victims: Ekow Jackson, Enock Obeng, and Martin Quaicoe, aged 40, and Daniel Armah, 35 were buried at their respective hometowns last weekend.
The remaining two, Emmanuel Awinguda and Eric Gyimah, both 24, would also be taken to their hometowns for burial.
Some of the family members of the deceased recalled the tragic event and the effects it had on their families and urged Ghanaians to say a word of prayer for them whenever they went on their knees.
Reverend Father Edward Cudjoe, the Parochial Administrator, Saint Michael Catholic Church, Bogoso, in a word of exhortation, said the 15- month-old baby, Ella Baidoo, could have been a good asset to the country.
He, however, urged the bereaved families not to be troubled but look onto God for solace, adding; “It’s very painful to say goodbye to a loved one”.
Rev. Father Cudjoe advised Christians to be vigilant, study the Bible and always commit their ways onto the Lord.
Mr Benito Owusu Bio, the Deputy Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, assured the residents that government would rebuild the Appiatse community in 12 months.
Apostle Onyinah Gyamfi, the Church of Pentecost Area Head, Bogoso, led the gathering to pray for the departed souls and bereaved families.
Mrs Babara Oteng-Gyasi, the Board Chairperson of the Minerals Commission, presented cash of GH￠2,000.00 to Miss Theodore Armah, 24, mother of the 15-month-old baby.
Mourners in a state of shock watched in grief as the coffins containing the remains of the deceased were lowed into the grave.
The Appiatse Disaster Relief Committee had earlier presented GH￠6,000.00 to each of the bereaved families to facilitate the burial.
On Thursday, January 20, 2022, a truck conveying mining explosives on behalf of Maxam Ghana Limited from Tarkwa to Chirano Gold Mines in the Western North Region was involved in an accident at Appiatse.
The accident resulted in an explosion, which claimed 13 lives, injured hundreds and displaced the whole town making it the worst explosion disaster ever recorded in the history of Ghana.
The Government, after investigations, asked Maxam Ghana to pay a fine of one million dollars for regulatory breaches but the company decided to pay an additional five million dollars as goodwill gesture to the country.
President Akufo-Addo directed that the additional US$5million be donated to the Appiatse Support Fund, established to help reconstruct the community.
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