Multiple Fatal Accidents, Two Due to Negligence, Claim Lives Across Ghana

The sad occurrence of accidents over the weekend and Monday has seen many lose their lives and are injured, an occurrence that has raised eyebrows on safety measures in the country. In a space of four days, citizens are left asking questions about their safety in Ghana.

From East Legon all the way through to Kasoa, we have seen four ghastly accidents, which sadly have left people dead and others severely injured.

1. Six Lose Their Lives on Accra-Kumasi Highway

This sad accident that occurred at Atwedie on the Accra-Kumasi highway on Friday, October 11, 2024, took the lives of six people. A sprinter bus carrying the registration number AS 6313-16 collided with a VIP bus, registration number AC 1550-17, near Juaso.

According to reports, the sprinter bus, running from Togo to Kumasi, attempted a wrongful overtaking, and this was what caused the accident. The VIP bus, heading from Tamale to Accra, lost one passenger; five passengers on the sprinter bus died on the spot. Others are said to have been injured and have been treated at Konongo Government Hospital. The bodies of the deceased persons have been deposited at Yawkwei mortuary.

Fortunately, the local fire station was able to clear any possible hazards, averting any possible outbreak of fire in the process.

2. Two Burnt Beyond Recognition at East Legon

This terrible accident occurred at East Legon near Omama Shop on Saturday, 12th October 2024. Well, on this fateful day, a speeding Jaguar rammed into an Acura, and the impact of the collision left the cars ablaze. The ensuing flames killed two female occupants of the Acura, who were trapped beyond recognition. However, the driver of the Acura and another had a lucky escape. So did the driver of the Jaguar, who is alleged to be a 16-year-old, and his companion.

Speaking on this, ADO Alex King Nartey said the fire was sparked by an electric pole that fell on one of the cars. "It hit a wooden electric pole, causing the wires to fall on the car, sparking a fire. Two people were trapped in the car, and even though they were burned beyond recognition, we figured that they were ladies," he stated.

Videos going around on social media show the moment the electric pole sparked fire, spreading it towards the cars. Unfortunately, two people died way before the emergency service could arrive; East Legon doesn't have a fire service station. Efforts by residents and the fire service team couldn't do much for the vehicles to be burned seriously while survivors are receiving treatment at the hospital.

The cause of the accident is still under investigation, and the Ghana Police Service has issued a statement that preliminary police investigations show that suspect driver Salifu Amoako rammed his vehicle into another on Dzanie Ashie Street at East Legon.

3. 13 People Lose Their Lives Due to Overtaking

The other VIP bus accident happened at Kwapia near Obuasi in the Ashanti Region on October 14, 2024. This too killed 13 passengers. The bus was heading to Enchi from Kumasi but veered off the lane; seven men, five women, and a child died.

An argument between the passengers and the driver on the issue of overloading might have resulted in the accident, eyewitnesses claimed. The driver of the VIP bus, with registration number ER 2445-11, had picked up stranded passengers from another broken-down bus, which caused overloading, according to eyewitnesses.

It was amidst this argument that the driver reportedly lost control of the bus, which veered off its lane into a ditch in the Kwapia community. 12 people died on the spot, and the driver, identified as Osei Adu, was also to die later at the hospital from his injuries.

Those injured are receiving treatment while the police continue to investigate the incident.

4. Rock Blasts at Kasoa Claiming Lives and Injuring Lot

A rock explosion on Monday, October 14, 2024, at the Buduburam Liberia Camp in Kasoa has claimed lives and injured many due to negligence. The incident occurred on a site that was being used for constructing part of the Kasoa to Winneba highway. The local residents, who get prior warnings from the executors of the plan, were this time not lucky, hence leading to tragic occurrences of life loss and serious injuries.

Eyewitness accounts claim workers were seen running away from the scene moments before the explosion. As one witness accounted for on social media, "blood and body parts everywhere." Mattias Ayegre-Anaba, administrator of St. Gregory Catholic Hospital, confirmed that the explosion affected 42 people. Three people died—two vendors and one man whose wife recently died. Two people have been transferred to the 37 Military Hospital, while 18 women and nine men are said to be in stable condition.

Following the explosion, some of the construction workers were held by a crowd and handed over to the palace of the Gomoa Buduburam Chief, since the contractor was nowhere to be found and most workers had run away.