Government investigates train crash on Graphic road

Accra, May 31, GNA - Government has set up a six-member committee of inquiry to investigate the cause of the accident involving an Accra-Nsawam bound train and a Metro Mass Transit bus at a railway crossing on the Graphic road last week.

Other terms of reference of the Committee are to identify whether there was any human negligence and to make relevant recommendations to prevent future accidents at all railway crossings. The committee expected to submit its report within four weeks, is chaired by Mr Samuel Barnes of the Ghana Railway Development Authority (GRDA).

Other members are Mr George K. Ackom of Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), and Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Victor Tandoh (rtd), of the National Road Safety Commission(NRSC). The rest are, Mr Eric Tetteh of Ministry of Transport as member/Secretary, Police Chief Inspector Sule of the Motor Traffic and Transport Unit (MTTU) of the Ghana Police Service and Mr Joseph Sankah, of the Ghana Railway Company.

Mrs Dzifa Aku Attivor, Deputy Minister of Transport, inaugurating the committee in Accra on Monday urged the members to bring their expertise and knowledge to bear on the assignment to come out with practical and workable recommendations to prevent future occurrences.

She said works were on-going to complete the Asoprochona-Tema railway line which would lead to the introduction of Diesel Multiple Units (DMUs) to offer reliable rail service between Accra and Tema.

"Similarly, programmes are in place to revamp the commuter service from Takoradi to Sekondi and Kmasi to Ejisu," she said. On behalf of the other committee members, Mr Barnes promised that the members would work hard to achieve their target. An Accra-Nsawam bound train on Wednesday, May 26, crashed into the front view of a metro mass transit bus at the railway intersection on the Graphic road, injuring the bus driver on the head. Police sources said there was vehicular congestion on the road because of the rush-hour but the bus driver did not stop few meters away from the railway line as required, making the train to hit its front section. 31 May 10