The Appiatse Disaster Relief Committee has scheduled March 11, 2022, for the mass burial of victims of the Appiatse explosion in the Prestea-Huni-Valley Municipality of the Western Region.

This was disclosed by the Municipal Chief Executive for Prestea Huni-Valley, Isaac Dasmani, in an interview with Accra-based Citi FM.

The explosion, which occurred on January 20, 2022, near Bogoso, claimed 13 lives leaving 59 others severely injured, including a 15-month-old baby.

According to the police, the incident was due to a collision between a truck carrying mining explosives, a motorcycle and another vehicle resulting in the explosion.

Isaac Dasmani noted that families who may wish for the private burial of their relatives will be allowed to do so.

“Today [Friday], we met the bereaved families and had a discussion where the decision to have a mass burial for the deceased was taken. We set March 11, 2022, for the burial. However, some families begged to bury their dead privately, which we agreed to,” he stated.

The disaster displaced many after their homes were razed to the ground by the blast. Indeed, a whole community was destroyed.

The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), together with many Ghanaians after the incident, provided relief items for the victims who have since been given a temporary shelter.

The government subsequently formed a committee to oversee the rebuilding of the community, which is currently ongoing.

Government has also received a report from a committee formed to probe the circumstances leading to the disaster.

A support fund, Appiatse Support Fund, has been set up to receive donations and help rebuild the community. The Fund received its first donation of GH₵100,000 from President Akufo-Addo; other organisations have also donated to the Fund.

The Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources later fined Maxam Company Limited, the company responsible for the transporting of the explosives, an amount of $6 million.

President Akufo-Addo then directed that $5 million of the amount be donated to the Support Fund to rebuild the community.