CRASH - FOUR DIE, 20 INJURED

FOUR people, including a 12-year-old boy, died on the spot while 20 others were seriously injured when a Mitsubishi Space Wagon bus on which they were travelling from Sefwi Wiaso to Sefwi Bekwai crashed into a stationary Man Diesel Pay Loader at the outskirts of Sefwi Bekwai. All the dead, who are males, are yet to be identified, but two of them who are in their middle ages, are believed to be workers of the Ghana Plywood Company in Takoradi.

The driver of the 33-seater bus, Kwasi Kyei, who is said to be in a coma, was rushed to the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, (KATH), together with the other passengers who were seriously injured.The District Police Commander of Bibiani Anwiaso-Bekwai District, Superintendent A. S. Sumaila, who briefed The Mirror on the incident in a telephone interview, said the accident occurred around 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, May 27, 2003.

He said initial investigations by the police revealed that the driver of the Mitsubishi bus with registration number, AS 499 R, took advantage of the good nature of the road and decided to speed.He said prior to that, a Man Diesel Pay Loader, with registration number WR 763 S, loaded with a caterpillar, had broken down and was parked by the roadside.

He said the driver of the bus, on reaching the outskirts of Sefwi Bekwai, ran into the stationary pay-loader, killing the four unidentified passengers on the spot and seriously injuring over 20 others.Mr Sumaila said two of the injured, who were rushed to KATH, were identified as Josiah Owusu and Kwasi Owusu. He said the driver of the pay-loader, one Bernard Amo, is currently in police custody assisting in investigations.

He pointed out that the driver failed to put any warning signs along the road and also failed to fix any reflectors on the vehicle to warn drivers. Mr Sumaila expressed concern about the attitude of drivers who ply the route and said most of the accidents occur through careless driving. He said the failure of the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) to properly mark the road and provide road signs at vantage points also contribute to the many fatal accidents on the road.

He said even though he had already written to the GHA to initiative moves to mark the road and institute other safety measures to reduce accidents, it is yet to respond to his appeal.He, therefore, appealed to the sector ministry to intervene by directing the authority to put up road signs to control accidents and save lives and property.