Africa-Press – Liberia. Doctors at Ganta United Methodist Hospital Monday confirmed the deaths of two young students of the E.J. Zion Nursery, Elementary and Junior High School.
The victims were Enoch Coleman, an 8-year-old boy and Miracle Roberts, a 10-year-old boy, both were in Grade One at the newly established daycare and elementary school owned by local businessman Natt Zourpeawon.
Eyewitnesses reported that the tragedy unfolded during recess on Monday afternoon. The children slipped away from the school campus in the Toweh Yard neighborhood, a densely populated area of Ganta known for its mix of modest homes, small shops and overgrown vegetation bordering nearby swamps.
Covering about a four-minute walk through dusty paths and thick underbrush, the boys reached a hazardous “sane hold” (a local term for water-filled mining pits left from illegal sand extraction.)
There, they attempted to swim but were quickly overwhelmed by the deep, murky waters. School administrators confirmed to Ganta City Police that the children had left the premises without supervision during the break.
The institution, like many in Ganta, operates in a converted residential space with limited fencing and open access to surrounding areas. Parents and neighbors described the scene upon discovery.
Frantic cries echoing through the community as rescuers pulled the boys’ lifeless bodies from the swamp, their school uniforms sodden and mud-caked.
Ganta, a vibrant commercial hub in Nimba County often called the “City of Lights” for its bustling markets and night-time energy, has seen a boom in educational and religious institutions.
Observers note that over 50 schools and churches now dot the landscape, transforming them into lucrative businesses amid rising demand from families.
However, this rapid growth has outpaced regulation, with many facilities lacking basic safety measures like perimeter fences or proximity warnings for natural hazards.
The nearby swamp, a remnant of unregulated sand mining operations, has become a deadly lure for local children.
Residents of Toweh Yard say dozens of kids from the community on Sundays gather daily in large numbers to play and swim in these unregulated pits, despite visible warning signs of past accidents.
“It’s like a magnet for them,” lamented one mother, who spoke on condition of anonymity. “The water looks inviting after a hot day, but it’s deep and full of hidden dangers from the digging machines.”
As of Monday evening, the Ministry of Education’s Nimba County Office had not issued any statement or actions regarding school safety protocols in Ganta.
Police have launched an investigation, but community leaders are calling for immediate interventions-stricter licensing for new schools, mandatory safety audits, and barriers around mining sites.
The loss of Enoch and Miracle has left families devastated, with funerals planned for later this week.
Their deaths serve as a stark reminder of the hidden risks in rapidly growing communities, where opportunity and peril often coexist just steps apart.
For More News And Analysis About Liberia Follow Africa-Press
