Tragedy at UDS; Student dies on graduation day

Tragedy struck during the 15th graduation ceremony of University of Development Studies (UDS) at Wa in the Upper West Region last Saturday when two students riding on a motor bike were knocked down by a lecturer of Wa Polytechnic.

The two, Ms Emmanuella Dong, 23,the pillion rider, who had just graduated during the ceremony and was going to collect her certificate died instantly while the rider, Mr Francis Diawuo, a 26 first year post-graduate student sustained severe injuries.

The accident occurred when the lecturer, Mr James Segnitome Dugrah, 48, who is also the National President of the Polytechnic Teachers Association of Ghana (POTAG),run head-on into the motorbike with registration number M11UW6965.

Mr Dugrah who was driving a Nissan Pick-up vehicle with registration number UW 105W 12  was heading toward the Wa township from the campus while the motorbike was coming from the opposite direction at Konta, a suburb of Wa.

According to the Upper West Regional Commander of the MTTU, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Mr Joseph Oppong, Diawuo also sustained a fractured right leg and has been referred to the Tamale Teaching Hospital. 

He said the body of Ms Emmanuella Dong has been deposited at the Wa Regional Hospital morgue for autopsy.