3 DIE IN TRUCK ACCIDENT AT TECHIMAN (PAGE 3)

By Akwasi Ampratwum-Mensah, Techiman

THREE persons died on the spot, when an Obuasi-bound Ford cargo truck loaded with pieces of sawned timber, on which they were travelling from Techiman to Sunyani, plunged into an abandoned bridge project on River Tano at the outskirts of Techiman in the Brong Ahafo Region.
At 9.30 a.m when newsmen got to the accident scene, the three bodies had been retrieved from the truck, whose number plate bearing its registration number was difficult to trace.
A large crowd had also gathered at the scene of the accident discussing the accident, which was said to have occurred at about 8.30 p.m last Wednesday.
The deceaseds' names were only given as Isiu, the driver, Karim and Abu.
According to the Techiman Municipal Commander of Police MTTU, Assistant Superintend of Police (ASP) D.S. Yacubu, information reaching him indicated that the driver of the truck was travelling on the road for the first time.
He alleged that since there were no diversion signs to caution road users about the construction work on the bridge and the dangers ahead, the driver went straight ahead, thereby plunging straight into the river.
When newsmen contacted the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE), Mr Prince Yaw Donyinah, he showed the press men a letter, which indicated that, the project was being undertaken by an Accra-based construction company, Messrs B. ISEMG Limited at the cost of GH¢230,393,8250 and described the accident as bad.
He admitted that for almost one year now the contractor could not be traced and that he had persistently approached him to expedite action on the project, adding that the contractor whose name he only gave as Prince, had given the assurance that the project would be completed in three months time.
Asked why the assembly did not border to put up diversion signs, considering to the looming danger, the MCE said since it was not the assembly that gave out the contract, it could not do so and added that, if assembly had done that, “ I would have taken it back from him,”
“I have even warned the contractor not to greet me in town, because I will slap him as a result of the delay on the bridge,” he stressed.
When asked further whether he had been to the accident scene, Mr Donyinah said he was there on the night of the incident, but for security reasons, he had been advised not to go there again for fear of being lynched by some aggrieved persons.
According to the MCE, he had been worried over the delay, especially since he had been accused by his political opponents that he had not seen to the completion of the work on time.
He showed newsmen two letters, one written to him by the Techiman Traditional Council and signed by the Omanhene, Oseadeeyo Akumfi Ameyaw on August 8, 2008 about the delay of the project and another by a Youth Non-governmental Organisation, “Achievers’ Alliance” in Techiman on August 14, 2008, about their intended peaceful demonstration, due to the slow pace at which the project was moving and the danger it posed to the travelling public and pedestrians.