The MMT tragedy and other matters

The Metro Mass Transit (MMT) was in the news again last Wednesday for yet another bad reason when one of its buses was involved in a fatal accident between Kintampo and Babatokuma in the Kintampo North District in the Brong Ahafo Region.

The accident claimed a staggering 61 lives, while 25 others sustained various degrees of injury.

Police briefings indicate that only five out of the total 86 people who were involved in the accident were occupants of the cargo truck which collided with the MMT bus.

For 61 people to perish in the accident, a tragedy has befallen the nation and individual homes.

But for the chassis and tyres of the cargo truck which was fully loaded with tomatoes, you could not identify it as a big cargo truck.

Overloading

At the Kintampo Government Hospital where some ministers of state came to convey the condolences of the government to the bereaved families, I posed a question to the Minister of Transport; Mr Fifi Fiavi Kwetey, about what he intended to do about the problem of overloading that was associated with MMT buses.

My question was, however, shot down by the Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Alhaji Collins Dauda, on the basis that that was not the time for that question.

But that question remains relevant, since figures released about the Kintampo accident indicate that the MMT bus was carrying more than 80 passengers, even though the bus should carry about 62 passengers.

Some Kumasi-Bolgatanga bound MMT buses which passed by the accident scene exposed the practice of overloading.

It is quite understandable for some passengers to stand in the buses in their intra-city operations but when passengers are allowed to stand in the MMT buses during a long journey from Kumasi to Bolgatanga, then officials of the company have a question to answer.

How can a company, under the Ministry of Transport, have its own way by carrying more than the stipulated number of passengers required of its buses, while the police looks on unconcerned?

Inspector General of Police

The Inspector General of Police, Mr John Kudalor, who accompanied the ministers of state to the accident scene, told newsmen that he had instructed his men to deal with drivers of overloaded cars which belonged to government institutions.

This instruction is very relevant since the MMT buses have had their way for a long time, even as the police continue to deal with private commercial drivers who commit similar offences.

The question is: “Has the overloading been sanctioned by officials of the MMT or is it the drivers who take more passengers after they have loaded at their stations?”

Speeding

One of the survivors of the accident is reported to have stated that the driver threw caution to the wind when some of the passengers pleaded that he should limit the speed of the bus.

I have used the buses of the MMT before and agree perfectly with the survivor, as drivers of the government transport organisation are known for such practice.

Ghana is known as one of the countries in the world with a high record of road accidents, with their attendant loss of lives and injuries.

Even though efforts are being made by the National Road Safety Commission to reduce the number of road accidents in the country, it seems there is the need for more pragmatic measures, including the implementation of punitive actions, to achieve positive results if public education is not achieving the desired goals.

Fire fighting approach

It is heartwarming that the government organised a helicopter for the evacuation of the injured to various hospitals for intensive care.

However, the Kintampo Government Hospital ought to be expanded and well-resourced to enable it to provide adequate emergency services when the need arises.

The Medical Superintendent of the Hospital was emphatic when a team of ministers of state, the security agencies and the National Security visited the accident scene and the hospital to get first-hand information about the accident.

Numerous fatal road accidents have occurred in the country but while people express grief and condolences to the bereaved families, nothing concrete has been done to prevent these occurrences.

It is my opinion that enough is enough. We should avoid the adoption of fire-fighting approach and put in adequate measures to reduce the road accidents to the barest minimum.

Let us honour the memory of the 61 souls by resolving to take the bull by the horn in our efforts to ensure safety on our roads. We cannot continue to be only talkers when such accidents occur and go to sleep and wait for another one to occur before we wake up from our deep slumber.