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17.11.2007 Article

Presidential Convoy & High Speed

By Frank Muzzu
Presidential Convoy  High Speed
17.11.2007 LISTEN

LAST WEDNESDAY, the Almighty God, creator of the universe, delivered our President, John Agyekum Kufuor from a very nasty accident involving his convoy.

The President as usual was on his way from his private residence at Airport East Residential area to the Castle when the accident occurred.

News of the accident spread like prairie fire across Accra and the country at large. Thank God, he escaped unhurt.

It is the prayer of many that his driver, Safo Addo, who was said to be on admission at the 37 military hospital, recovers fast and well enough to continue his work.

The spate of road accidents involving both presidential and aspiring presidential convoys recently is quiet alarming and urgent measures must be put in place to curb the menace before we start singing dirges.

Records have it that since 2004, the Presidential convoy has been involved in more than six accidents, resulting in the deaths of more than five security personnel and injuries to others.

Former President Rawlings had had his share of the accidents on the motorway months before he left office, leading to the death of five or so of his security men.

He was driving his favourite sports car himself. I would not say he was over-speeding, but I know how pilots fly.

In his case, it was alleged that his convoy was crossed by a tro-tro driver who entered the motorway through an unapproved route.
The driver was not given the chance to present his side of the story, for he died under very questionable circumstances in police cells.

In the case of the former president who was at the wheels, his alcohol level was not taken so no one could actually tell whether or not he had quaffed any hard liquor or other things. And that was the end of the case as well as the end of the poor driver.

Vice President Aliu Mahama had not been left out. His convoy was involved in a fatal accident, leading to the death of three of his beloved bodyguards in a very sympathetic manner. Other passengers received various degrees of injuries.

President Kufuor's “assailant”, a certain Mr Osei, who describes himself as a contractor working with Pure Construction Company Limited in Accra, tested positive for excess alcohol that morning at about 11.30 when the accident occured.

According to him, it was not a deliberate attempt on his part to drive into the President's convoy. But what actually happened?

Was it a brake malfunctioning or the one bottle of beer he said he took, deafened him to the extent that he did not hear the presidential siren? Or better still, was it an attempted Lady Diana type of assassination?

It is pathetic that at the time the Presidents car was somersaulting, his bodyguards were several metres away all in the name of over-speeding. Or what was it?

The President was left unprotected. It took ordinary street hawkers and other good-natured Ghanaians to rescue our president from the wreckage.

I dare say that it was very unprofessional for the security to allow onlookers to rescue the president from the wreckage. Highly unprofessional.

What would have happened if the President's car had burst into flames? Thank God it did not happen. God, thank you for protecting the president.

I sincerely believe something went wrong somewhere. Somebody did not do his work well. And this certainly calls for a thorough investigation.

Not long ago, Alan Kyerematen, one of the NPP presidential hopefuls'motocade was involved in a fatal accident resulting in the demise of the driver, Mr Abraham Nathan Mensah and now, two other persons.
The vehicle, which was said to be the lead car in a seven-vehicle convoy, had a head on clash with a cargo truck while attempting to overtake another car in a curve.

Another leading aspirant, Hon. Nana Addo Danquah Akufo-Addo also suffered a similar fate when a driver hit his mercedes benz car at the back but luck was on his side.

Nana was also on his way from his residence to parliament, when an unidentified driver suddenly drove into his car, severely denting it in the process.

Like the president, he also escaped unhurt and has since been going about his normal schedule.

The way the presidential convoy zooms through the city of Accra has been a topic that has been on the lips of the people for a long time now.

I don't doubt the fact that both the drivers of the convoy cars and dispatch riders have been specially trained to travel at high speed on any type of road, but often times, it is the lead car that dictates the pace.

Most of our roads are not speed friendly and equally so, most of our drivers are not siren and road-signs friendly. All they know is to screech and damn the consequences.

The time has come for the president's guard commander to take another look at his strategy.

I hope I am not teaching him to do his work knowing very well he is a highly-trained professional.

But may I suggest in my lay man's view that the speed be cut down to an appreciable level with dispatch riders in front, back and both sides to offer the president the maximum protection he deserves as a head of state though it is true that unless God gives you protection, those who are seen to be giving you one do so in vain.

Once again I thank the Almighty Jehovah for saving the President, and all those involved in the accident.

By Frank Muzzu

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