The weekend did not go down well for the families of some 19 persons, including a six-month-old baby and a seven-month-old pregnant woman, who were killed in two gory accidents on the two main highways that lead to Accra.
On the western end from the capital, 10 people were confirmed dead after two buses collided at Gomoa Mampong, in the Gomoa West District in the Central Region. The accident occurred Sunday morning around 3:55 am. The persons reported dead included a seven-month-old pregnant woman.
As at the time of going to press yesterday, 15 people were reported to have sustained injuries and had been rushed to a nearby hospital for treatment. The Municipal Fire Commander, D01 Henry Asiedu, confirmed that 10 people died on the spot.
Earlier on Saturday, around 6:40 pm, an accident on the Apedwa section of the Accra-Kumasi Highway led to the death of nine persons. The dead included a six-month old baby.
Reckless overtaking
Both accidents were said have been caused by reckless overtaking by the drivers. In the Accra-Cape Coast highway accident, the accident involved a passenger bus with registration GN 4741-10, heading from Takoradi to Accra, while a ‘Diplomat Bus’ with the registration GS 6262-19 was also travelling from Accra to Ivory Coast.
A survivor, Emmanuel Quaicoo, said both drivers were overtaking, and collided in the process.
In the Accra-Kumasi Highway, the accident occurred when the driver of a Mercedes Benz Sprinter bus with registration number GT 7394-14 with passengers on board from Nkawkaw towards Accra made a reckless overtaking at Apedwa Pig Farm junction and collided with a Burkinabe-bound DAF trailer truck with registration number 2459 T1 03.
The impact of the collision forced the vehicle to crash into the bush.
The Public Relations Officer of the Eastern Regional Police, DSP Ebenezer Tetteh, said the bodies of the deceased had been deposited at the Suhum Government Hospital mortuary for preservation, identification, and autopsy.
The remaining injured victims were rushed to the Suhum and Kibi Government hospitals for treatment.
