8 Die, 6 injured in accident

Eight people died instantly and six others sustained injuries when a 15-seater Toyota Hiace mini-bus travelling from Kade to Accra last Thursday was involved in an accident on the outskirts of Akyem Boadua, a few minutes after the bus had taken off.

The injured persons are receiving medical treatment at the Akwatia St Dominic Hospital, while the bodies of the deceased, comprising seven women and one man, have been deposited at the morgue of the same hospital for autopsy and preservation.

An eyewitness, Samuel Kwabiah, who briefed the Daily Graphic at Boadua last Saturday, said the vehicle somersaulted five times and landed in the bush less than five kilometres after taking off from Kade.

He said the mangled vehicle lost its number plate in the fatal crash, meaning its registered vehicle number could not be ascertained in the immediate aftermath of the accident.

Mr Kobiah appealed to relatives of people, who travelled from Kade to Accra last Thursday, to visit the Akwatia St Dominic Hospital to identify the deceased and collect their remains for burial.

He stated that the driver of the vehicle could not be traced by the police, saying it was unclear at the time of granting an interview with the Daily Graphic whether the driver was alive or dead.

Quoting the Road Safety Committee, Mr Kobiah said 124 people lost their lives through road accidents on the Kade-Akyem Osenase portion of the Kade-Accra road last year, while eight persons had earlier died on the same stretch between January and March this year.

Some other theories, among other eyewitnesses, suggested that the driver in charge of the vehicle that was involved in the accident was new to the road.