5-year-old girl drowns in uncovered borehole at Winneba-Ansaful

A five-year-old girl has drowned after reportedly falling into an uncovered borehole at Ansaful in Winneba in the Central Region.

The incident occurred Wednesday evening while a one-week programme was ongoing at a nearby Christ Apostolic Church.

The child was reported missing around 5:00 p.m. prompting a search by relatives and residents.

An eyewitness said one of the girl’s slippers was found near the borehole with the other inside it.

“We saw one of her slippers near the borehole and another inside, so we suspected she had fallen in,” the eyewitness said.

He said water had to be pumped out before the body was found inside and retrieved with a ladder.

Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service, Police and NADMO jointly carried out the recovery before handing the body to the police.

It was conveyed to the mortuary around 10:00 p.m. for preservation and autopsy.

The eyewitness alleged the borehole was meant to serve the church but was left uncovered.

“I had complained several times about this borehole. It was not serving its purpose and was left open,” he said.

The borehole has since been closed. Meanwhile PRO of the Central Regional Fire Command ADO I Kwasi Attifah said his outfit received a distress call at about 7:57 p.m.

“Although our fire tender was out of commission, our personnel made alternative arrangements to get to the scene,” he said.

“We pumped out the water before our personnel entered with a ladder to retrieve the body which we later handed over to the police.”

He said police investigations are ongoing and cautioned parents. “We advise parents to keep close watch over their children especially in potentially dangerous areas.

Source: Ghana/otecfmghana.com/Jacob Agyenim Boateng