The burnt tipper truck
Angry residents of Lamashegu, a suburb of Tamale, last Friday burnt a tipper truck after an unidentified driver knocked down a nine-year-old school girl.
The driver of the truck who however managed to escape the irate scene with the support of some Good Samaritans later reported himself to the police and was taken into custody.
According to some eye witnesses at the scene of the incident, the driver who was carrying sea sand to a project site at a zebra crossing failed his brakes and run over the poor girl who died immediately.
Onlookers who were incensed about the incident massed up to beat up the driver but he escaped before they could lay hands on him.
They however started pelting stones and any object they could lay their hands on at the vehicle before finally setting it ablaze, threatening to deal with anyone who dared try to stop them.
Before fire fighters could arrive at the scene to save the situation, the vehicle was burnt beyond recognition.
Police of the Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) later conveyed the body of the deceased to the Tamale Teaching Hospital morgue and later released it to the family for burial.
Meanwhile, Ayatah Alexander Atiibo, regional manager for the National road Safety Commission (NrSC), has blamed the needless deaths on the recklessness on truck drivers.
He indicated that most of them failed to observe road regulations, adding, ‘This is not the first time such an incident has occurred.’
A month ago, Corporal Moses Osei-Tutu, a dispatch rider with the Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) died due to the negligence of a truck driver.
His death brought to 43 deaths the number of death recorded this year alone as a result of accidents involving tipper trucks in the region.
Mr Ayata expressed worry over the conduct of the drivers, calling for urgent steps such as prosecuting persons to curb the carnage.
He announced of plans to embark on an operation to clamp down on tipper trucks without license, insurance and road worthy certificates causing the needless havoc on the road.
Residents have also appealed to the Ghana Private Transport Union (GPRTU), especially the Tipper Trucks Union in the Northern region to caution their members plying on the roads or incur their wrath.
The residents who are particularly worried following the increasing number of deaths associated with the sand winning trucks indicated that innocent lives are being lost as a result of carelessness of the drivers.
Tipper truck drivers, according to them, disregard traffic regulations leading to constant killings of residents.
They have threatened to hit the streets and register their displeasure if the authorities fail to live up to the task.
From Stephen Zoure, Tamale
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