The officials of State Housing Company (SHC) have begun assessing the level of devastation at Appiatse after last Thursday’s explosion leveled the town.
Police say a preliminary investigation has established that a truck filled with explosives for mining collided with a motorcycle, resulting in the explosion at Bogoso-Appiatse in the Western Region. Authorities say 500 buildings were destroyed in the explosion, displacing over 500 people.
At least 13 persons have so far been confirmed dead in the explosion, leaving hundreds of locals displaced, the police said. The explosives were being transported to the Chirano Gold Mine, run by Toronto-based Kinross (K.TO).
The government has commissioned State Housing Company to immediately map out plans to reconstruct the collapsed town.
This was disclosed by the Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia on Friday when he visited the accident scene to commiserate with the victims of the accident.
The officials of SHC were seen in the town enumerating the houses and marking them for reconstruction. The SHC technical team was led by its Western Regional head, Kingsley Hagan.
“In all, about 150 houses were enumerated,” Hagan said.
Bawumia on Friday visited the scene and announced that the government was partnering with SHC for the rehabilitation efforts.
Working through the State Housing Company and in collaboration with mining firms operating in the Bogoso area, the government will provide affordable housing for those whose houses were destroyed in the blast.
Asaase Radio 99.5 – tune in or log on to broadcasts online
99.5 in Accra, 90.7 in Ho, 98.5 in Kumasi, 99.7 in Tamale, 89.5 in Tarkwa, and 106.9 in Walewale
Follow us on Twitter: @asaaseradio995
#AsaaseRadio
#TheVoiceofOurLand
