Dompoase accident: 28 bodies identified, 27 in stable condition

Twenty-eight bodies of the 34 who perished in the gory accident at Dompoase near Komenda Junction in the Komenda-Edina-Eguafo-Abrim (KEEA) have been identified by their families.

Twenty-seven of the 54 who sustained various degrees of injuries have also been treated and discharged while the remaining 27 are in stable condition responding to treatment at the Cape Coast Teaching Hospital (CCTH).

When the GNA got to the mortuary midday, large numbers of relatives had gathered amidst wailing awaiting their turn to either identify or convey their loved ones to other hospital facilities closer to their areas.

Speaking to the media, Mr Frederick Nyankah, Public Relations Officer of the CCTH, said the Hospital was hopeful the remaining six bodies would be identified by close of tomorrow, Thursday.

The Central Regional Minister, Mr Kwamena Duncan, who was out of the Region when the accident occurred, cut short his meeting and led a delegation from the Central Regional Coordinating Council, the Ghana Police Service and the GPRTU to visit the accident victims at the Hospital on Wednesday.

The Regional Minister, on behalf of the Government and Mr Kwame Kumah, the National Chairman of the GPRTU, presented a cheque for 10,000 Ghana cedis and a cash of 2,000 Ghana cedis to the Hospital to waive off some of the bills of the victims.

The accident, which involved two 60-seater passenger buses travelling from the opposite direction on the Accra-Takoradi highway Tuesday dawn, January 14, claimed 34 lives including three children and injured several others.

Relatives and friends kept pouring in at the CCTH on Wednesday, from far and near, to identify the bodies of their loved ones who perished.

Notable among the deceased was the Financial Secretary of the New Patriotic Party in the Essikado Katen Constituency, Madam Hajia Kadijatou Abubakar.

In an admonition, Mr Dancun encouraged drivers to be disciplined in their operations to eliminate avoidable human errors saying the tragic accident could have been avoided if the drivers had exercised some caution.

He commended the staff of the CCTH for their swift response and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families adding that “never again should that accident happen anywhere in the country”.

Earlier in the day, Mr Joe Ghartey, Member of Parliament of Essikado-Ketan and Minister of Railway Development also visited the victims at the facility and expressed his condolences to the bereaved families.

The National National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has since commissioned a multi-disciplinary investigative team to investigate and determine the contributory factors and institutional lapses that might have accounted for the crash.