19-Year-Old SHS Student Drowns at Bibiani Dam
A fun day turns tragic as a 19-year-old SHS 2 student loses his life in the waters of Amponsah Dam.
- 19-year-old SHS student Elisha Akanlawen drowned after being overwhelmed by deep waters at the Amponsah Dam
- The community has experienced similar incidents at the dam
- Local leaders are advocating for a protective fence around the dam
A fun-filled day took a heartbreaking turn at Bibiani Zongo, Western North Region, when 19-year-old Elisha Akanlawen, an SHS 2 student, drowned in the Amponsah Dam while swimming with friends.
Elisha, who lacked swimming experience, struggled in the deep waters and was quickly overwhelmed. Despite desperate rescue attempts, he could not be saved. The police and community leaders rushed to the scene to perform traditional rituals and recover the body.
The victim was later taken to the Bibiani Government Hospital for preservation and further investigation.
Assembly Member for the Zongo Electoral Area, Mohammed Abdallah, expressed concern that this tragedy is not an isolated incident.
He has long called for a fence around the dam to prevent such incidents but noted that previous efforts to bring the matter to the authorities’ attention have been ignored.
Abdallah is now urgently seeking assistance to prevent more such tragedies.
