The Ghana Education Service (GES) has extended its heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families, the management and staff of Mahad Islamic School at Akotosu, and the entire school community following the tragic accident at Aboabo Extension Junction in the Asokore Mampong Municipality of the Ashanti Region.
In a press release issued on October 22, the GES said the accident, which occurred on Tuesday, October 20, claimed the lives of four pupils and injured three others.
The deceased were identified as Juraid Mohammed, Anisah Ibrahim, Fati Muniru, and Raiyan Faisal. The GES described the tragic death as a painful loss not only to the immediate families and school but also to the education community and the nation as a whole.
Management expressed equal concern about the three pupils who sustained injuries in the accident, wishing them a speedy and full recovery. The GES also appealed to motorists and all road users to prioritise the safety of vulnerable schoolchildren at all times.
Background
The pupils, all eight years old, were reportedly preparing to cross the road after classes when a Hyundai van travelling from the Aboabo Post Office area towards the Airport Roundabout lost control while descending a slope and veered onto the pavement, striking seven of them .
The four deceased were pronounced dead on arrival at the Manhyia District Hospital. Two of the injured children, 12-year-old Laila Muniru and five-year-old Bushira Musapha, were reported to be in critical condition and referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, while six-year-old Saisa Bila was receiving treatment at the Manhyia District Hospital in a stable condition.
The driver of the vehicle has been taken into police custody, and the damaged vehicle has been impounded as investigations continue.
Following the tragedy, the Headmaster of the School of Islamic Studies, Bawa Abdul-Rahman, appealed to the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly to construct a footbridge at the location, describing the stretch as a death trap.
The Municipal Chief Executive, Ben Abdallah Alhassan, has said the Assembly will assess the proposal, which would require a technical assessment by road engineers, and has pledged to cover the hospital bills of the injured pupils.
