A five-year-old girl has drowned after reportedly falling into an uncovered borehole at Ansaful in Winneba in the Central Region.
The incident happened yesterday evening while a one week programme was ongoing at a nearby Christ Apostolic Church.
The child was reported missing at about 5 p.m., prompting relatives and residents to begin searching for her around the area.
The search reportedly took a worrying turn when one of the girl’s slippers was found near the borehole, while another was discovered inside it, raising suspicion that she may have fallen into the facility.
Personnel from the Ghana National Fire Service were called to the scene to pump out water to retrieve the child.
Public Relations Officer ADO 1 Kwasi Attifah, said the girl’s body was eventually found inside the borehole and retrieved with the assistance of a ladder.
Personnel from the Police Service and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) jointly participated in the recovery operation before the body was handed over to the police for conveying to the mortuary.
ADO 1 Kwasi Attifah said police investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the child’s death and that the outcome would be communicated in due course.
He has meanwhile urged parents and guardians to keep children under close supervision, particularly around areas that may pose safety risks.
He also advised people undertaking construction projects to properly secure or demolish dangerous structures and openings after construction to prevent similar accidents.
