A 70-year-old farmer, John Tetteh,has been killed during a blasting operation by contractors working on the Accra-Kumasi Highway bypass project at Osino in Fanteakwa South district of Eastern Region.
Kumasi mail sources reveal that the construction company made a brief and unexpected announcement to the Osino community about the planned blast earlier in the day.
Unfortunately, the late timing of the announcement meant that some community members, including the victim, were unaware of the warning.
John Tetteh, who was reportedly returning from his farm, unknowingly entered the danger zone during the blast.
He was caught in the explosion and tragically lost his life.
His decomposing body was discovered amidst the rubble days later and has since been buried by the police with consent from the bereaved family.
Opoku Agyemang, the assembly member for the area, attributed the incident to inadequate communication from the contractor regarding the blasting operation.
However confirming the incident, the District Chief Executive for Fanteakwa South Ernest Ofosu who is the chairman of District Security Council (DISEC) disagreed.
According to her all the safety protocol were followed by the contractor with enough warning to the community.
“The contractor constructing the by-pass First Sky brought a letter to they effect. Initially Justmoh did their blasting some months ago. So the same procedure they went to the various information centers announcing to everybody and then also informed all the Houses nearby. Then intended k carry the exercise of Monday but for some reason they couldn’t do it on Monday they did it on Tuesday” Said the DCE
He added “I cannot say there were lapses because all that they have to do they did. They went to the information centers they also gave as written information we also put it on various platforms” .
The construction of the Osino, Anyinam, Enyiresi, and Konongo bypasses is part of the government’s initiative to dualize the Kumasi-Accra Highway.
The bypasses span over 40 kilometers, with segments covering 11.6 km in Osino, 6.1 km in Anyinam, 10.6 km in Enyiresi, and 13.5 km in Konongo.
The latest bincident comes after similar incident of stone blasting at Gomoa Buduburam by a contractor working on the Kasoa to Winneba highway also esulted in the death of three people with injuries to 39 others in October last year.
Source: www.kumasimail.com /Kojo Ansah
