School boy drowns in manhole near School

Dawhenya, July 30,GNA – Pupils of Nancy International School at Dawhenya near Tema, were on Thursday thrown into a state of mourning when a four-year-old pupil of the school fell and got drowned in an uncovered manhole.

David Dan-Doe, the crèche pupil, was pulled out dead by an employee of his father, after falling into the manhole while playing with his friends near it. It is situated about 15 metres from the unfenced school.

The corpse of the boy who attends the same school with his elder brother, Ray Dan-Doe, has since been deposited at the Tema General Hospital morgue, awaiting autopsy.

Mr Benjamin Dan-Doe, the father of the deceased, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Friday that he received a call from one Mr Benson, a teacher of the school on Thursday at about 13:45 hours, informing him that the school conducted a roll call during which his son was not present.

Mr Dan-Doe said when he rushed to the school, he saw his son dead, lying beside the manhole with the teachers, pupils and residents around.

According to him, some of the pupils allegedly told him that his son was pushed into the pit by one of his friends when they were playing , and that immediately after the incident, they informed one of the teachers who claimed he could not go into the pit to rescue the boy because he would get dirty.

He said instead, they decided to hire a water-pump to pump out the water from the manhole before rescuing the boy.

Information of the incident, he said reached his employee who rushed to the place and tried to rescue David, but got into the pit too late.

Mr John Kwabena Akumani, Headmaster of the school, denied the allegation that the teachers looked on unconcerned while the boy was dying.

Mr Akumani said two teachers dived into the manhole, but could not rescue David.

According to the headmaster, it took the teachers and two other onlookers more than 20 minutes trying to rescue the boy, until his father's employee dived in and removed him.

Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP) Seth Doe, Crime Officer of the Prampram District Police, confirmed the incident, and stated that the owner of the manhole and the Proprietress of the School have been invited to assist the Police in investigations.

ASP Doe added that his outfit was in the process of transferring the corpse from the Tema General Hospital to the Police Hospital Morgue.

GNA