Parents send their children to tertiary institutions with the hope of celebrating their academic achievements on graduation day.
However, when the anticipation of a proud moment is shattered by the tragic news of a child’s death, it plunges parents into deep psychological distress.
In recent years, the deaths of tertiary students in Ghana, particularly at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), have dominated headlines.
Many students, who enter these institutions full of promise, unfortunately, meet untimely deaths due to factors such as illness or accidents and in some cases suicide.
While death is an inevitable part of life, the grief of parents who lose their children under such circumstances is profound.
Despite the emotional and financial investments made in their children’s education, these parents are often left to find solace in the age-old adage, “From dust you are and to dust you shall return.”
In this article, The Ghana Report explores various instances of some KNUST students passing away tragically on the back of the recent case which occurred barely a month ago.
- KNUST Student Killed In An Accident
On July 9, 2024, Adzo Ahadzie, a Master of Architecture student at the KNUST, was killed in a tragic accident on the KNUST campus in the Ashanti Region.
The unfortunate incident happened in the evening while she was heading home from campus.
Adzo was knocked off her bicycle by a vehicle along Club House Road on the KNUST campus.
Despite being rushed to the KNUST Hospital shortly after the accident, Adzo sadly passed away later that night due to the injuries sustained.
- Death Of Reeves Baafi, L-200 Agriculture Student
KNUST was plunged into mourning following the demise of Reeves Baafi, a level 200 Agriculture student in February this year.
His sudden death left a profound impact, leaving many questions unanswered and hearts heavy with sorrow.
The cause of his death is still under investigation.
- Final Year KNUST Student Passes On
Peter Twumasi, the former National Sports Authority Director General sadly lost his first child, Jim Ofori Twumasi, who was a final-year student at KNUST on Thursday, February 15, 2024.
Jim Ofori Twumasi was with the economics faculty.
The devastating news was rife on the school’s social media handle, where heartfelt condolences were extended to the bereaved family.
Preliminary reports indicated that Jim Ofori Twumasi tragically slumped while dining with his friends on campus.
Jim was an alumnus of the Presbyterian Boys’ Secondary School (PRESEC) and was known by his peers and teachers for his dedication and academic prowess.
- 3 KNUST students die in separate accidents on campus
Three KNUST students in 2021 lost their lives in two separate accidents on campus.
The Public Relations Officer of the university, Dr Daniel Norris Bekoe, in an interview revealed that the first incident occurred when a car carrying five students on campus crashed, leaving two students dead and three others injured.
In that accident, four out of the five victims were level 400 students of KNUST while the other was a student of the University of Ghana.
The second accident also occurred when a student of the university fell from the staircase of the first floor of Unity Hall.
He was pronounced dead upon arrival at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital.
The bodies of the deceased were deposited at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy.
- KNUST Student Stabbed To Death Over Missing T-Shirt
A second-year student of KNUST was stabbed to death by his friend at Kronum-Kwapra in the Ashanti Region on Saturday, August 5, 2023.
This comes after a brawl between the 24-year-old student and his friend over a missing t-shirt.
The deceased, Lambert Frimpong, was accused of stealing the shirt, which he vehemently denied.
The misunderstanding led to the stabbing of Lambert with a knife.
He was declared dead after he was rushed to the hospital.
- Level 200 KNUST Student Dies After Falling From 4th Floor Of Ultimate Hotel
A level 200 male Industrial Art student of KNUST was confirmed dead after falling from the fourth floor of Ultimate Hostel, formerly [Evandy – Bomso].
The sad incident happened when he attempted to move from one balcony to the next in February 2023.
It took the benevolence of a commercial vehicle driver to get him to the KNUST Hospital after several drivers refused to come to his aid.
Management of KNUST revealed that the student died instantly after falling.
- KNUST Student Dies In Gory Accident On Spintex Road
A female Level 300 student of KNUST, Leticia Abena Achiaa, 22, passed away in a car crash on the Spintex – Accra Polo Club stretch in February 2023.
According to reports, Leticia left campus for Accra to meet her friends for a hangout but unfortunately met her untimely death.
She was in the company of two men when the unregistered white BMW car somersaulted multiple times before landing in a gutter, leading to her death.
The two men, however, survived the fatal accident.
- 25-Year-Old KNUST Student Commits Suicide
The police in Ashanti Region launched investigations into the death of a 25-year-old student of KNUST who died in his room at Adoato, near Bantama in 2021.
Frederick Asamoah was found with a noose around his neck, hanging on a ceiling fan in the early hours of Wednesday, August 18.
Confirming the news to The Ghana Report, an uncle of the deceased, Kofi Abrefa Busia, explained that Frederick returned home on Friday after the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG) strike.
According to him, the family had supper together in the evening of Tuesday, August 17, 2021, after which Frederick went to bed at about 10 pm.
On Wednesday, August 18, the mother decided to give him some money before leaving for work.
There was no response after several knocks on the door, and the family called a carpenter to break the lock.
They were faced with shock only to find the lifeless body of Frederick, who was bare-chested and wore a pair of black shorts.
According to him, Frederick did not show any signs of distress when he returned from campus, so the family did not suspect that he had any problems.
“We don’t know what happened the night before. He didn’t appear to have any challenges to the best of my knowledge,” he explained.
“The family is not facing any problems. He has a room to himself. The house is peaceful with no tenants.”
Unconfirmed reports suggested that Frederick lost a bet after committing GHC 60,000 with the hope of winning to pay a debt of GHC200,000.
However, the uncle refuted the claims indicating that Frederick “does not engage in betting”.