The death toll from the tragic road accident on the Juaso-Nkawkaw stretch of the Accra-Kumasi highway has risen to 18, following the deaths of two more victims who were receiving treatment at the hospital.
The accident, which occurred around 2 p.m. on Monday, involved a Ford Transit bus carrying members of the Obogu Saviour Church Youth Ministry and a fuel tanker. According to initial reports, the tanker, traveling from Kumasi toward Accra, attempted to overtake another vehicle when one of its tyres burst.
This caused the tanker to veer into the path of the oncoming bus, resulting in a head-on collision near Juaso.
Sixteen people were pronounced dead at the scene, while two others succumbed to their injuries at the Juaso Government Hospital. Three more victims remain in critical condition and are receiving treatment at the hospital’s emergency unit.
The youth group was returning to Obogu after attending a church congress in Koforidua. The crash has cast a heavy pall of grief over the Obogu community, with several families losing multiple members.
Church elder Kofi Baah confirmed the tragic losses, revealing that among the deceased were children of the church’s Head Pastor. “Some families lost two or even three children. The entire community is devastated,” he said.
Emergency response teams from the Motor Traffic and Transport Directorate (MTTD), the National Ambulance Service, and the Ghana National Fire Service in Juaso and Konongo were quickly dispatched to the scene. The victims, aged between 4 and 21, were provided immediate medical care.
Sixteen bodies have been deposited at the Juaso Government Hospital mortuary. Authorities have launched a formal investigation into the cause of the crash.
Grief counselors are expected to be deployed to support bereaved families and the Obogu community in the coming days.
Source: www.kumasimail.com
