A 23-year-old man narrowly escaped death in the early hours of Tuesday after the concrete floor of a shop he sleeps in suddenly caved in at the 18th Lane area of Tarkwa, in what residents describe as another close call in a series of underground-related ground failures recorded in parts of the mining town.
The incident occurred moments after the victim, identified as Abeiku, stepped outside to brush his teeth. He recounted that while standing outside the structure, he noticed the ground beneath him giving way and began sinking into the earth.
He managed to save himself by holding firmly onto a nearby metal object until residents rushed to his aid.
The collapse left a deep hole between two adjoining structures-a small-scale mining kitchen where gold is processed and a dressmaking shop-raising concerns among residents about the stability of the ground in the area.
Residents believe the incident may be linked to underground disturbances associated with illegal and unregulated small-scale mining activities in the vicinity.
The latest development adds to previous reports of similar occurrences in Tarkwa. In September 2025, a large sinkhole appeared near the Tarkwa market area at “Mbesiafo Gua Mu,” causing panic among traders and residents.
The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) attributed that incident to underground mining activities which had weakened the ground beneath the area.
In that case, NADMO officials explained that mining activities had compromised underground support structures, leading to sudden surface collapse in a busy commercial area.
Residents say Tuesday’s incident has revived concerns about the safety of structures built over areas suspected to be affected by underground mining activity, particularly in densely populated parts of the municipality.
Tarkwa-Nsuaem remains one of Ghana’s key gold mining hubs, where illegal mining activities have repeatedly been linked to land degradation and occasional ground instability incidents affecting both residential and commercial areas.
As of the end of business on Tuesday, no official statement had been issued by the Tarkwa Nsueem Municipal Assembly on the cause of the latest collapse. ConnectNews can however report that, the affected area has since been cordoned off.
By Eric Yaw Adjei
