The Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) has ordered the indefinite closure of its swimming pool following the death of a third year Chemical Engineering student, David Osei Agyapong, at the university’s aquatic facility.
The university has simultaneously constituted a Fact Finding Committee to establish the circumstances surrounding the tragic incident, which occurred on Saturday, November 7, 2026.
The decisions were reached during an emergency meeting convened by university Management on Monday, November 9, as the institution initiates an internal investigation alongside a separate inquiry being conducted by the Ghana Police Service.
In an official notice issued on Monday, KNUST disclosed that the committee had been given a two week period, beginning November 9 and ending Friday, November 20, to conclude its investigations and present its findings to Management.
The committee has been tasked with establishing the events and circumstances that culminated in Mr Agyapong’s death and submitting a comprehensive report to guide the university’s response.
As part of the immediate measures introduced following the incident, Management has directed that the swimming pool remain closed to students and members of the general public until further notice.
The university explained that the suspension of access to the facility was necessary to allow the relevant investigations to proceed without disruption while the circumstances surrounding the student’s death are examined.
Expressing its profound sorrow over the loss, KNUST Management extended its condolences to the bereaved family, friends, classmates and colleagues of Mr Agyapong, acknowledging the grief and distress his death has caused within the university community.
The institution also appealed to the public to respect the privacy of the deceased student’s relatives during the difficult period and refrain from making speculative assertions about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Additionally, Management cautioned against the dissemination of unsubstantiated reports and urged the public to exercise restraint while the university’s Fact Finding Committee and the Ghana Police Service undertake their respective investigations.
The outcome of the two investigations is expected to provide further clarity on the circumstances surrounding the student’s death and inform any additional measures that may be necessary.
