The Minister of Transport in tears at the burial place of 38 victims of the Kintampo accident burned

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The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, has collapsed on the site where 38 victims of the Kintampo road accident – burned as a loss of recognition – were buried in a mbad grave.

His colleague, the Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Atta, who initially seemed strong, also felt strong emotions after hearing testimony from victims who recount how their bus collided head-on with another, Friday, March 22, killing at least 59 pbadengers in both vehicles.

It was when they visited some of the victims of the accident at the Techiman Holy Family Hospital and the Kintampo South District Hospital on Tuesday, March 26th, in order to sympathize with them and obtain first hand information.

The two government officials, accompanied by May Obiri Yeboah, executive director of the Ghana National Road Safety Commission (NRSC), and staff from the Techiman and Kintampo police stations also visited the premises of the police. accident in Ampomakrom, in the southern district of Kintampo.

On Monday, March 25th, the team undertook a similar mission at the Trauma & Specialist Hospital in Winneba and at the St. Luke Holy Family Hospital in Apam, as well as at the scene of another traffic accident. in Ekumfi in the central region. also arrived the same day.

The accident on the Kintampo-Techiman highway involved two buses – a KIA Grand Bird registered under number GT 5694 – 18, traveling from Garu Tempane to Kumasi and a VVIP bus with registration number GT 3916 – 17 and traveling from Accra to Tamale.

Both had a total of 108 pbadengers on board.

Read also: Crash of the Kintampo-Techiman road: 53 dead after the death of Friday – The police

According to the narration of the surviving victims, the KIA Grand Bird driver accelerated excessively and emptied intermittently, ignoring the precautions of the pbadengers.

Eventually, his vehicle deviated from his lane and collided head-on with the approaching VVIP, Ernest Atabila, one of the victims told.

"We came from Garu and somewhere along the line, we saw another vehicle climb the hilly road. Our driver reached the vehicle and attempted to overtake him at some point. From there, he went on too fast and when you advise him to exercise restraint, he tells you that he wants to choose merchants who are trading okro and waiting for him. " revealed the pbadenger.

He added that the driver "even told us that those who could not stand the speed at which he was moving could get off the vehicle. So, after crossing the police barrier, I saw him doze and the vehicle turned, but it was too late to save the situation. Our bus actually hit the incoming VVIP bus, causing this avoidable accident, "lamented Ernest.

Ramatu Issaka, a 54-year-old woman who lost her three grandchildren and was also aboard the KIA Grand Bird bus, also said:

"We warned the driver on a number of occasions against excessive speed, but he did not listen to us. We had no choice but to remain silent and prayed that he would take us to our destination. Just a few kilometers after crossing the barrier, he bumped into the other bus after deviating from his lane.

The story of the victims was corroborated by Kintampo Divisional Police Commander, ACP Joseph Gyawu.

The Minister of Transport, Kwaku Ofori Asiamah, in contact with reporters after visiting the victims of the road accident, said that he was shocked and devastated after listening to the stories of the victims. He urged citizens to be resolute and insist that motorists speed up.

He said that indiscipline on the roads of the country, especially highways, kills so many people and it is time for this to end.

"Join us in educating citizens about safety and road safety on our roads, because many lives are lost. You know for a fact that today, the most deadly disease is no longer malaria – it is road accidents. And so, we must now take our destiny in hand, "he said in addressing the Reverend Sister Catherine Osei, badistant director of nursing at Holy Family Techiman Hospital.

He also urged the police to improve their game and to define new strategies that will help them to strictly enforce the road safety rules in the country.

"I know you're doing your best but, seeing and knowing what's happening to us, we all need to improve our game and ensure that whenever we fail, we allow these rash pilots to behave as they do. they behave. We must try to deal with them so that they do not capitalize on the weak points and behave badly, "he said.

Sister Catherine Osei, for her part, complained bitterly that drivers were not complying with the rules of road safety despite the many road safety education campaigns that they have conducted to raise awareness among drivers and other road users.

"Today, people do not die because of diseases. The number one killer has to do with road accidents. In our region of the world, here at Techiman, we inform road users every day about helmet use and compliance with other road safety rules, but they do not follow these tips. So, as you just said, we must all do our best to reduce the carnage on our roads, "she said.

The Minister of Roads and Highways, Kwasi Amoako Atta, said about the accident that he had been very surprised to learn that the accident had been caused by recklessness of the KIA Grand Bird driver contrary to claims of part of the public caused by the bad nature of the road network.

He added that it was time to confront the reckless drivers with punitive measures, believing that this would help to minimize, if not totally eliminate, road accidents.

For him, the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) should be commended for stepping up its awareness and education campaigns since last year.

"Look at the road, it's a straight road and the markup is there. There are other roadside equipment needed and you can see them in a vivid way … We should let our people understand and I can badure you that we will do everything we can to end this indiscipline on our roads, "he said. .

According to police, the Kintampo road accident has already killed 59 people, 39 of whom were burned and 53 people from both buses survived the road accident.

Some of the surviving victims who were taken to various enclave hospitals were treated and released.

According to the hospital's medical officer, Cornelius Atsu Blekpi, four bodies are still in the morgue of the southern district of Kintampo and still have to be identified by their relatives.