School Week Celebrations Turn Tragic At Tamale
What was meant to be a week of celebration for students of the School of Hygiene, Tamale, turned into mourning, when the vehicle they were using for a float run over one of the students, killing her in the process.
The incident happened at Kanvili, a suburb of Tamale, about 300 metres away from the school.
According to eyewitnesses, the student, Sarah Yenuloom, was part of a jubilant crowd of students of the school who were singing and dancing during a float to mark their Sanitation Week.
Being overly excited, Sarah attempted to jump onto the moving pay-loader that was carrying other students, but slipped and in the process the rear tyres of the pay loader ran over her, making some of her intestines to gush out.
She was pronounced dead on arrival at the Tamale Teaching Hospital.
When the Daily Graphic visited the school, the entire campus was quite and the students, who could be seen in groups, were in a very sombre mood.
Though most of the students and the authorities were not willing to talk to the press, information gathered indicated that Sarah, who was in her mid 20s, was a second-year student, who had only two months to complete her course and start her practical training.
She was also described by her course mates as a cheerful person. Meanwhile, sources in the Students Representative Council (SRC) indicated that activities for the event, which started on Monday, July 21, 2008, might not continue, as students were not in the mood for any more celebrations.
When contacted, the Northern Regional Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU), ASP Nana Kumi, indicated that the accident happened around 11 a.m. on Tuesday, in the absence of the police.
"In actual fact, the executive of the SRC had come to pick our personnel to go and guide the float, when the accident happened," he said.
ASP Nana Kumi explained that the driver of the pay-loader and the students were moving at minimal pace in anticipation of the arrival of the police, when suddenly the accident happened.
Story by Salifu Mohammed Nurudeen Tamale