25 perish in fatal road accident in Tamale

The entire Tamale township was thrown into the state of mourning last Saturday, when a Leyland cargo truck, with registration number NR 1259 W, carrying people instead of goods, veered off the road and plunged into a ditch, killing 18 people on the spot, with seven others later dying in hospital.

The people were travelling from Zoggu in the Savelugu-Nanton District to Tamale. Among the dead was the Chief Imam of Zoggu, Yari-Naa.

Seventy eight other passengers of the truck, who sustained various degrees of injury, according to the Northern Regional Motor Traffic Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service boss, DSP Blewusi George, were currently on admission at the Tamale Teaching Hospital in critical condition, whilst the dead have been buried, in line with Islamic rites.

An eyewitness told The Chronicle that the driver of the cargo truck was trying to avoid a head on collision with a taxi cab, which reportedly crossed it, when the accident occurred, around 3:30 p.m.

According to the eyewitness, most of the commercial drivers who arrived at the scene failed to offer any help, even though some of the victims had been trapped under the truck, due to terrible nature of the accident.

Several people, including the Chief of Zoggu, and relatives who trooped to the Tamale Teaching Hospital to identify the victims, could not control their tears.

The police played a commendable role to avoid further accident on the road.

Mr. Thomas Boakye, an MTTU official who spoke with the paper earlier, condemned the practice in the Northern Region where cargo trucks meant for transporting of food items and other goods were being used as means of transport for human beings.

Meanwhile, it is estimated that a total of 533 people died, and 2,960 people received injuries in 3,516 road accidents recorded nationwide, between January and June, this year.

About 4,841 vehicles, comprising 2,466 commercial ones, 2,065 private and 310 motor-bikes, were involved in these accidents, according to Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCOP) Daniel Julius Avorga, Commander of the MTTU.

Within the same period last year, 336 people died, while 2,255 people received injuries from 3,094 road accidents.

Between January and June, 2008, 372 people died, and 1,898 people received injuries from 2,820 road accidents, involving 4,485 vehicles.

It is on record that out of the 3,516 road accidents recorded so far this year, the Greater Accra Region recorded the highest of 1,341, followed by Ashanti Region with 454, Tema with 421, and the Central Region recording 352.

The Eastern Region followed with 303, Western Region 215, and Volta Region 195.

The Brong Ahafo Region recorded 149, Northern Region 41, Upper East Region 24, and the Upper West Region 21, which was the least.