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Last Wednesday�s accident in which over a dozen persons lost their lives has gone down as the worst in the country�s mining history, news about which has resonated around the world. Although the worst, it was by no means the first life-sapping accident to strike in a makeshift mining pit in the country. We take this opportunity to console the bereaved families and pray that the Almighty God gives them the courage and strength to go through the difficult period of their lives. Those who passed away, there is no doubt, engaged in the illegality so that they can make ends meet in these rather inclement economic times. Otherwise, why would people risk their lives and descend into the bowels of the earth the way the perished did, carrying head-pan full of sand to the surface with no safety measures or equipment in place. Eventually, the worst happened, the soil caved in, expedited by the falling of tree whose base was very close to the pit. We dread to think about the last moments before the many women and men and perhaps, some kids had life snuffed out of their bodies. We also imagine how life would be for those who depended on the departed for their livelihoods. For those of them who are of school-going age and we bet there could be many of them, what has happened is tantamount to have the incandescent lamps of their lives switched off abruptly without warning. We take consolation however in the Almighty God who opens new avenues for every closed one and ask the bereaved to take heart. Let them gather themselves and look into the future with hope, for after all, God drives away flies for the tail-less cow. It certainly would be difficult in the early stages of their plight, but with time, the healing process would be complete and new openings waiting to be explored. The last time there was accident in an illegal mining activity, the usual commentaries followed. It was the same with precious ones and we wonder sometimes whether we, policymakers and Ghanaians in general, ever learn from such killer accidents. There are certain measures we can take to eliminate such accidents or even make them less dangerous when they occur. Most of those caught in such accidents, we can conclude, do not know the dangers they expose themselves to by engaging in the killer vocations. It is our view therefore that there is the need to engage in a very serious education programme so the vulnerable persons in gold-bearing areas of the country are made aware about what could befall them if they embark on the illegality. Another option which has been touted over time is the possibility of regulating the activities of the galamsey operators. This way, sanity and best practices can be introduced to the operators; with a view to getting them to shield themselves from avoidable accidents. It is our position to also involve the chiefs in this campaign and perhaps the establishments of watchdog committees to raise alarm over galamsey operations. We know the foregone, especially the watchdog committee, could be very challenging, given that with money being the ultimate, getting people to show interest in combating the practice would be tough. Whatever the challenges in the way of stemming galamsey in the gold producing areas, we must work towards making life safe for our people. Let us let the accident of last Wednesday be the last such mishap to befall the country.