Victims of Appiate explosion to be remembered a year on

The Appiate Disaster Relief Committee will today, Friday, January 20, 2023, hold a series of activities in remembrance of victims of the mining explosion and mark their one-year anniversary.

Public Relations Officer of the Appiate Disaster Relief Committee, Thywill Quarshie, says a one-minute silence and prayers will be observed at midday today at the site of the Appiate Explosive Disaster.

Speaking to Citi News on the line-up of activities in memory of the 16 souls lost and surviving victims of the disaster, Thywill Quarshie, said the remembrance activities will begin with memorial prayers and a wreath-laying ceremony.

“At 9am today, we will move to the explosion scene where we will have experts in the mining industry, police, fire service, NADMO for lectures on safety”, he added.

The explosion occurred on January 20, 2022, after a truck carrying explosives owned by Maxam Limited got involved in an accident resulting in the explosion.

The Appiate disaster was one that destroyed a whole community. 14 persons lost their lives while hundreds sustained varying degrees of injury.

A committee was inaugurated to probe the disaster. It has subsequently presented its report to the government.

The government has fined Maxam company, which was responsible for transporting the explosives through its subcontractors $6 million.

The President, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, directed that $5 million of the amount be used in the rebuilding of the community.

The National Disaster Management Organisation with support from well-meaning Ghanaians, companies and organisations, has been taking care of the people by providing them with relief items and a temporary shelter.

Victims have over time been appealing for more relief items to cater for their needs.

Currently, the rebuilding of the community is ongoing.

The Appiate Support Fund, which was set up to mobilise adequate funds to rebuild the community destroyed by the fatal explosion, has received millions in donations so far.

Source:citinewsroom.com