The government says it will on Sunday, May 15, 2022, commence the rebuilding of the Appiate community in the Prestea Huni-Valley Municipality, two months after the inauguration of the Appiate Reconstruction Implementation Committee.
This follows intense pressure on the government to speed up the process after the over 50 persons who were displaced by the Appiate explosion had their lives disrupted again by a downpour last Friday.
The Appiate Support Fund, which was set up to mobilise adequate funds to rebuild the community destroyed by a fatal explosion, has received over GHS 35 million in donations so far.
The Chairman of the Appiate Reconstruction Implementation Committee, Benito Owusu-Bio, said, “Within two weeks, we will be able to have selected whoever will be constructing the building and the designs. Within the stipulated time, the Ministry of Roads would have been there to do their road layouts. That is a big step, without which we can’t proceed. We can do a number of things concurrently. We will also be able to give proper estimates.”
At least 13 people were killed, and 179 others injured in the explosion, which occurred on Thursday, January 20, 2022.
The explosion is believed to have been caused by a collision between a vehicle transporting explosives to a mining site and a tricycle.
The truck that was involved in the explosion was heading to Chirano Gold Mines.
According to the mining company, the truck belongs to MAXAM, a mining services contractor.
