MDCEs' accident: Benz driver dead; two MCEs discharged

Mr Zakaria Karim, the driver of the Mercedes Benz saloon car which rammed into a convoy involving four Municipal and District Chief Executives in the Northern Region on Monday, 24 June 2019, has died.

He passed in the late hours of Monday.

The Head of the Accident and Emergency Department at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, Dr Godfred Takye confirmed Mr Karim’s death to Class News’ regional correspondent Mohammed Gadafi on Tuesday.

Karim’s car had a head-on collision with the 4 x 4 carrying the MCEs and DCEs for Nanumba North (Bimbila), Gushegu, Zabzugu and Mion, respectively.

He had multiple injuries on both legs and head.

Mr Karim was travelling from Accra to the Northern Region when the accident happened a few metres from the Datoyili police barrier.

Meanwhile, Dr Takye has discharged the MCEs for Bimbila, Abdulai Yakubu; and Gushegu, Issah Musah.

He said they are in stable condition.

He also revealed that the Mion DCE, Abdallah Hashim, complained on Tuesday about some chest pains and, therefore, detained him for further medical examination.

The Zabzugu DCE, however, is still on admission at the intensive care unit.

Dr Takye said though his condition has also been stabilised, he is under further observation because of the severity of his injuries.

Meanwhile, the President of the National Association of Local Authorities, NALAG, Bismark Nkum together with the Women Caucus representative, Mariam Iddrisu and other executives visited the victims on Tuesday morning to commiserate with them.

Asked why the four government officials had to travel in one vehicle, he explained that it was to reduce the convoy of the government officials for the programme they were attending so as to save the state kitty some money.

He said this incident would now get people to appreciate what they do as government officials, adding that: “This is not necessarily to our benefit but then in the course of duty for the society.”

“So, these are the things that the society must begin think through, not just to perceive that so far as they see a long convoy, then people are necessarily enjoying themselves”, Mr Nkum said.