Appiatse Explosion: Lands Minister receives Committee’s report; assures gov’t will take necessary action

The Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr. Samuel Abu Jinapor has assured that government will ensure anyone found culpable in the circumstances that led to the Appiatse explosion would be punished.

Ghana witnessed a tragic disaster on January 20, 2022, when a truck carrying mining explosives crashed a motorcycle at Appiatse, near Bogoso in the Western Region, leading to an explosion that left many dead and several injured.

Subsequently, the government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources set up a committee to look into the incident.

Today in Accra, the committee has presented findings of its investigations together with some recommendations.

Receiving the document, Minister Samuel Abu Jinapor has emphasised that the Akufo-Addo government is committed and will not spare anyone that will be found to have breached any rule leading to the explosion.

“We should be able to review this report as soon as possible, almost immediately, and be able to come to a firm conclusion as to what are the necessary steps we have to take. I think that it’s important that as a people when incidents like this occur we establish the facts dispassionately and for me that has been the attitude that the ministry has brought to bear on this particular incident.

“I have no doubt that the work Mr. Aryee and his colleagues have done is exactly in accordance with this same attitude and this same spirit. Let me conclude by assuring the country that the President is fully committed to ensuring that whoever is found culpable, whoever is found to have breached any rule or committed any wrong in this matter will be made to face the full rigors of the laws of our country,” Samuel Abu Jinapor said.

The Benjamin Aryee Committee in its investigations engaged all relevant stakeholders including chiefs, witnesses, police stations, assigned police escort, Maxam dispatchers, the driver of the truck, among others.