Thursday, a barrier collapsed at a stadium in southern Sierra Leone where the president and first lady were attending a ceremony to give free sanitary pads, according to the authorities.
In videos published on social media, thousands can be seen fleeing a stadium in the city of Bo, with many carrying injured individuals.
The number of casualties was initially unknown.
President Julius Maada Bio tweeted, “My heart goes out to all the children affected and the families of the children who were injured in today’s unfortunate incident at the Bo Stadium.”
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Our medical personnel are diligently administering medical care to the injured.
The government’s press secretary’s office cited an accident involving pupils that occurred when a little bit of metal guardrail on one of the stadium’s levels detached.
It did not estimate the number of injured individuals.
In the southern region of Sierra Leone, Bo to be exact, when the president and first lady of Sierra Leone were distributing free sanitizing pads to students in Bo town, a very tragic accident occurred in the mini stadium where many students were hurt and others are fighting for their lives. pic.twitter.com/HFZbuZwW0K
— Alfred benjamin sankoh (@sankohbenjamin2) 2 February 2023
The statement said that the affected youngsters were immediately sent to a metropolitan hospital “for free medical care” escorted by Health Minister Austin Demby.
A ministry of information and communications spokeswoman stated that no deaths had been reported.
A nurse at the Bo Government Hospital told AFP that at least a dozen individuals had been injured, the most of them were kids in uniform.
WOMEN’S RIGHTS
In the June presidential, legislative, and municipal elections in the West African nation, women’s problems will play a prominent role.
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The president signed a gender quota bill into law this month, mandating that public and private entities reserve 30% of their positions for women.
In rural areas where customary law previously prohibited women from inheriting or owning land, a second statute that was passed this summer now allows women to do so.
»Sierra Leone provides free sanitary pads to injured children«