Bogoso explosion: Government to build temporary housing facilities for displaced Appiatse residents – Bawumia

Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has assured that measures are being put in place to construct temporary housing facilities for all displaced residents of Bogoso-Appiatse.

He says the government has engaged the State Housing Corporation and mining companies in the area to provide an instant haven for the stranded community members in the coming days.

Dr. Bawumia said this when he led a government delegation to ascertain the state of affairs in the community after a vehicle carrying mining explosives exploded and reduced the whole settlement to ground zero.

A team of government officials and the leadership of the emergency response have arrived at the Apiate where some 17 lives have been claimed after an explosion on January 20.

The team are there to examine the situation and the effective measures that have been put in place to ensure control of the situation after the explosion.

The team which is led by the Vice president, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia include the Minister for the interior, Ambrose Dery, Inspector General of Police, George Dampare, Minister for Lands and Resources, Samuel Abu Jinapor, Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, Director General of NADMO, Eric Nana Agyeman-Prempeh among others.

“Government, on its part, is going to do everything to support the families and those who have been injured. We are also looking into how to make sure that all those who are injured are taken care of.”

“For the houses that have been destroyed, we are already beginning to think about how to rehabilitate and rebuild for the community. I have already to the State Housing Corporation and in consultation with the mining companies here, we will quickly try to put in place facilities that will help those who have been displaced,” he assured.

A preliminary investigation by the Police has revealed that “a mining explosive vehicle moving from Tarkwa to Chirano mines collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion.”

The blast, which was accompanied by a plume of smoke, spread from the place of impact and razed residential and commercial structures to the ground.

“A major disaster befell us yesterday, not only for the community here in Appiatse [but] it befell the whole of Ghana and that is why the President Nana Akufo-Addo asked me to lead this government delegation to come and assess the situation and see what we are going to do for the people.”

“I have received briefings from the Police, the Fire Service, NADMO and the Chief. On behalf of the President and the government, we wish to express our deepest condolences to those who sadly lost their lives from this very sad incident,” the Vice President said while briefing the community members.

Meanwhile, survivors of the unfortunate incident have been rendered homeless. They have since been relocated to a makeshift camp at the Bogoso St. Michael Parish Hall.

Government has directed the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to immediately provide rapid relief items to the residents.