The Ashanti Region has recorded 27 tragic cases of residents in mining areas falling and dying in abandoned galamsey pits as of December 22, 2022.

The Regional National Disaster Management Organization in an interview with JoyNews said that these galamsey related deaths involved women and children returning or going to their farms.

The Regional NADMO Director, Frank Kwadwo Duodu told Erastus Asare Donkor that his outfit is drawing a plan to reclaim parts of the affected areas to be used for farming activities in 2023.

He also called for legislation to empower NADMO to be able to demolish structures contributing to flooding in the country.

Many parts of the Amansie Central municipality and communities along the Offin River have been turned into wastelands and death traps of abandoned pits and gullies.

According to the regional NADMO office, they recorded 27 illegal mining-related mine cave-ins and drowning in abandoned pits.

They noted that many of the cases involved women and children.

The Ashanti region also recorded 38 cases of flooding, 120 fires, 45 cases of windstorms, 12 cases of building collapse and four fuel tanker accidents.

Mr Duodu said that some of the flooding situations were preventable.

He is therefore calling for legislation to empower NADMO to take demolition action on structures cited illegally with the potential to cause flooding.