The death of four schoolchildren at Aboabo in the Asokore Mampong Municipality has reignited urgent calls for the construction of a footbridge on the dual carriage road that has become notorious for fatal accidents.
Four pupils of the School of Islamic Studies at Akotosu have died, while three others are receiving medical attention after a Hyundai van crashed into them.
The victims, identified as Juraid Mohammed, Anisah Ibrahim, Fati Muniru and Raiyan Faisal, all eight years old, were pronounced dead on arrival at the Manhyia District Hospital.
Other victims, Laila Muniru, 12, and Bushira Musapha, five, are in critical condition and have been referred to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital for further treatment.
Another victim, six-year-old Saisa Bila, is in stable condition and is receiving treatment at the Manhyia District Hospital.
All pupils involved in the accident were said to be crossing the road on Tuesday after school when the incident occurred.
According to eyewitness accounts, the Hyundai van, which was travelling from the Aboabo Post Office area towards the Airport Roundabout, reportedly lost control while descending a sloping road and veered onto the pavement where the children were waiting to cross.
The vehicle subsequently ran into the children, leaving seven of them injured.
The tragedy has left the community devastated, with residents, school authorities and local leaders unanimous in their demand for a footbridge to be constructed immediately to save lives.
The Headmaster of the School of Islamic Studies, Bawa Abdul-Rahman, described the stretch as a death trap and said only a footbridge can guarantee the safety of pupils.
According to him, the sloping nature of the road makes vehicles speed, as many people have been knocked down along that stretch.
“The way forward is to liaise with the Municipal Assembly for us to construct a footbridge here because it is not only the students here that are facing that problem. The road has knocked down so many people along that stretch,” he stressed.
He revealed that the school management had previously assigned someone to help the children cross the road after closing, but that person was once almost hit by a speeding car.
“From that place, it looks like a highway. If you try stopping them, some recalcitrant drivers still find their way, because these people had already crossed the road, but the car still managed to cross to the other side to hit them. So, it is a footbridge that can solve that problem,” he lamented.
As an interim measure, the headmaster said management will insist that pupils use the traffic light at the Aboabo Post Office to cross the road, where there is MTTD presence.
The headmaster described the tragedy as tough for both teachers and pupils, but said the school management is trying to stay composed to support the affected families.
“It is very heartbreaking, but we are taking it cool because we have to compose ourselves before we can console even the families. They are moody, but we will manage to calm them down. As you can see, they are in class, and we have made sure teaching and learning are still going on,” he said.
He added that the guidance and counselling unit of the school will provide psychological support to the affected families and pupils.
Meanwhile, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for the Asokore Mampong Municipal Assembly, Ben Abdallah Alhassan, during a visit to the injured victims at the hospital and the families of the deceased, said he has officially filed a report on the incident to the Urban Roads authorities for immediate action.
He noted that he has requested the Department of Urban Roads to conduct an immediate assessment of that stretch to determine the necessary safety interventions, including the construction of a footbridge, speed ramps and pedestrian crossings.
The MCE assured the bereaved families and residents of the Assembly’s commitment to ensure that lasting measures are put in place to prevent such tragedies in the future.
The driver is currently in police custody, while the damaged vehicle has been impounded as investigations into the circumstances surrounding the accident continue.
The bodies of the four deceased children have been released to their families for burial in accordance with Islamic rites, as the community continues to mourn and demand lasting safety interventions.