Thirty-five people were reported dead in two fatal accidents at Savelugu in the Northern Region and Dabala in the Volta Region in what has been described as a bloody weekend.
A Metro Mass Transit (MMT) bus and a 207 Benz bus collided at Yoo, near Savelugu, in the Savelugu-Nanton District, leaving 31 persons dead including the Upper East Regional Correspondent of the Enquirer newspaper, Samuel Abaane. Â
More than 30 other persons also suffered various degrees of injuries, with over a dozen in critical conditions after the Tamale-bound MMT bus with registration number AS 9905 Y, collided head-on with the Bunkpurugu-bound Benz bus with registration number AS 7510 F. Â
Officials of the MMT said the vehicle was coming from Bolgatanga to Tamale while the other one was heading from Kumasi before both ran into each other at about 8:30 am, close to the Savelugu School for the Deaf. Â Â
According to Lambon Duut, one of the three survivors on the Benz bus, they left Kumasi at about midnight and on leaving the outskirts of the Savelugu township, the driver veered off the road and ran into the lane of the MMT bus, resulting in the accident. Â
The drivers of both vehicles died on the spot while 29 others, including the Upper East regional correspondent of the Enquirer, died on arrival at the hospital. Â
According to eyewitnesses, almost all 33, except three passengers on the Benz bus, are feared dead.
All passengers on the front row of the MMT also died on arrival at the hospital and were deposited at the Tamale Teaching Hospital morgue for autopsy. Â
Apart from Mr. Abaane, on board the MMT bus, who was immediately identified, the rest of the victims were yet to be identified at the time of DAILY GUIDE’s visit on Saturday. Â
Meanwhile, personnel of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service have since visited the accident scene to determine its actual cause.Â
Health personnel at the Tamale Teaching Hospital, though overwhelmed with the injured, were able to contain the situation, attracting the commendation of the Mayor of Tamale, Alhaji Abdulai Haruna Friday. Â
He expressed his sympathy to the bereaved families, indicating his readiness to partner the National Road Safety Commission in reducing the carnage on the roads.
In a telephone interview with DAILY GUIDE, the Commanding Officer of the MTTU of the Ghana Police Service, ACP Awuni Angwubutoge, said the accident, according to a survivor, Samuel Owumo, occurred when the MMT, bus with 60 passengers on board and heading for Kumasi from Bolga, driven by Amadu Iddrisu, collided head-on with a Mercedes Benz bus from Kumasi, on the outskirts of Savelugu.
The Benz bus, with 33 passengers, was being driven by Mahamadu Alhassan who handed over the vehicle to his mate, Daniel Labi, who attempted overtaking on the wrong side of the road and collided with the oncoming MMT bus.
Forty-eight persons were treated and discharged, with 66 seriously injured.
In the Volta Region, four people died in an accident which occurred on the Savietula-Dabala road yesterday.
The four include family members of a circuit court judge in the region, Obeng Ntim.
The accident occurred when a Tata-Safari drove into a towing truck trying to tow an abandoned vehicle.
The only survivor of the accident has since been admitted at Sogakofe Government Hospital. Police in Anloga confirmed the incident to Joy FM.
From Stephen Zoure, Tamale