The Ghana Education Service (GES) has ordered the immediate closure of the Accra Newtown Experimental D/A School following the collapse of a nearby uncompleted building, which resulted in three deaths and multiple injuries.
The directive, announced after a high-level safety inspection at the institution, bars students from returning to campus until comprehensive structural assessments are completed and authorities deem the environment safe.
The building, a multi-storey structure that had been converted into a makeshift church, collapsed during a heavy rainstorm on Sunday. Emergency responders received a distress call at approximately 5:01 p.m., launching a rescue operation that continued into the night. According to officials, 23 people were trapped beneath the debris.
Interior Minister Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak confirmed that after extensive verification across hospitals and with emergency teams, the final toll stands at three fatalities—two females and one male—with 20 survivors.
“So far, information that has been cross-checked, double-checked, visited all the hospitals, just to be sure that we don’t give any information that may be far away from the fact,” Mr. Muntaka said. He noted the survivors are currently receiving treatment at the Police Hospital, Mamobi Polyclinic, and a private facility.
The Minister added that women and minors comprised a significant portion of those affected, though no minors were among the deceased. “Out of the 23, the total number of females amongst them is 15, with eight males. Out of this, we have seven minors, but those who have lost their lives, there’s no minor,” he stated.
Safety Concerns Prompt Immediate Action
The incident has triggered renewed concern regarding unsafe structures adjacent to learning environments. The Director-General of the GES, Professor Ernest Kofi Davis, stated that the Service will convene an emergency meeting with technical experts to determine the fate of the school’s facilities.
“We are going to work with the regional and national teams, including the estate department, to ensure that the remaining structures are safe for use. If they are not, we will advise students to avoid those areas,” he said in an interview.
Emergency teams, including the Ghana National Fire Service, police, National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO), and National Ambulance Service, coordinated the rescue efforts. Authorities have indicated that the cause of the building collapse remains under investigation.
