Two final-year students killed by speeding tipper truck in Ekumfi

Two final-year students of Ekumfi Obidan-Potwabin Basic School in the Central Region have died after a speeding tipper truck crashed into them while they were returning home from voluntary classes.

The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon in the Ekumfi District, shortly after the three students had left the school.

The students had been attending voluntary classes organised by the school to support final-year candidates in their preparations for their examinations amid the ongoing nationwide teachers’ strike.

One of the students died at the scene of the accident, while another succumbed to the injuries upon arrival at the Roman Catholic Hospital in Mankessim.

The third student sustained serious injuries and is currently in critical condition.

Deputy Chairman of the School Management Board, Emmanuel Ekow Arthur, said the incident had left the school community devastated.

He explained that the voluntary classes were introduced to prevent final-year students from falling behind academically during the teachers’ strike and to help them prepare adequately for their final examinations.

The accident has also heightened concerns among residents over speeding by tipper trucks and other heavy-duty vehicles operating in the community.

Residents are calling on the Ekumfi District Assembly, the Ghana Police Service and the National Road Safety Authority to urgently intervene by installing speed ramps and appropriate road signs and intensifying enforcement of road safety regulations.

The bodies of the two deceased students have been deposited at the morgue, while the police investigate the circumstances surrounding the crash.

It remains unclear whether the driver of the tipper truck has been arrested.