2 drown in Tubong dam

Tubong, a community in the Tempane District in the Upper East Region, was thrown into a state of mourning last Saturday when two members of the community drowned in a dam.

Information gathered indicated that an 11-year-old boy drowned in the dam around 2 p.m. and an attempt by a 30-year-old man identified as Pakinyedu to rescue him was unsuccessful and he also drowned in the process.

The 30-year-old man and the boy’s father were having a conversation in the house when the sad news of the boy's drowning was brought to them.

The two immediately rushed to the scene to ascertain the veracity of the information and to rescue the little boy.

Upon reaching the bank of the dam, the father’s friend, who did not know how to swim, out of desperation and anxiety, jumped into the dam to rescue the boy, but he also drowned in the process.

The tragic incident attracted hundreds of residents to the scene, some of whom wept uncontrollably after a combined team of rescuers in the community managed to retrieve the lifeless bodies of the two individuals from the dam.

After the necessary traditional rites were performed, the two were buried the same day around 7 p.m.

The dam was constructed by World Vision Ghana (WVG), a non-governmental organisation, a few years ago, to provide all-year-round water to assist farmers in cultivating vegetables such as onions, okra and carrots, among others.

Confirmation

Confirming the incident to the Daily Graphic yesterday, the Assembly member for the Tubong-Konkomada Electoral Area, Simon Moyom Laar, said so far, they had not been able to establish what the little boy went to do at the dam, which led to his death.

He noted that since the dam was constructed, no resident had drowned in it, saying “It is shocking and sad that two people had drowned in the water”.

He urged parents not to allow their children to get close to the dam, to prevent a recurrence of the incident.

Writer’s email: gilbert.agbey@graphic.com.gh.

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