A leading safety expert is calling for the prosecution and punishment of local government officials whose negligence allegedly led to the collapse of the dining hall at Ejuraman Anglican Senior High School, which injured several students during a heavy downpour on Monday night.

Speaking on the 3FM Sunrise Morning Show with Johnnie Hughes, Sampson Wolanyo Deklu, Technical Lead at the Bureau of Public Safety, criticised the persistent inaction of local assemblies in maintaining public infrastructure, particularly school buildings.

“This is a clear case of negligence, and people must be held accountable,” Deklu stated. “When we fail to punish public officials for dereliction of duty, we allow a cycle of disaster to repeat itself. Children could have died.”

The incident occurred in the Ejura Sekyedumase Municipal District of the Ashanti Region. According to eyewitnesses and school sources, the dining hall had shown signs of structural deterioration for months. Students told 3FM that repeated complaints to local authorities went unheeded.

“We have been complaining about the deplorable state of this building but nothing was done. How would the government feel if we died?” one distressed student said.

Deklu criticised the failure of works departments within the municipal assemblies to conduct proper assessments and ensure structural integrity both during and after construction.

“We don’t even assess buildings after completion. There is no real enforcement, no supervision. Everyone does what they want,” he lamented. “That’s why these collapses keep happening.”

The Bureau of Public Safety official warned that unless local authorities are made to answer for such incidents, more lives will be put at risk. He stressed that responsibility must lie with the assemblies tasked with issuing permits, supervising construction, and ensuring public safety.

“This isn’t the first time. And unfortunately, it won’t be the last if we continue this way,” Deklu said. “People who sleep on the job should be chastised. Punishment is necessary—not just for justice, but to deter others who may neglect their duties in the future.”

Deklu also urged the central government to provide adequate funding and oversight to local assemblies to enable them to fulfill their responsibilities.

“This is not just about money—it’s about willpower, accountability, and protecting lives. Our children deserve safe schools,” he concluded.

The injured students are currently receiving treatment at the Ejura Government Hospital. The Ghana Education Service has yet to issue an official statement on the incident.