Tragedy hits Obuasi Presby

Tragedy hit the Obuasi Presbyterian Church last Thursday when five members of the congregation were killed in a road accident at Asanso-Kyekyewere, a few kilometres to Anwiankwanta, on the Obuasi-Kumasi road.

A sixth victim, identified as Ekow Nti, a member of the Obuasi Wesley Methodist Church, was said to have accompanied the group to assist them in a singing competition as part of a four-day Ashanti Presbytery Singing Band Union conference at Nsuta-Kwamang.

The bodies of the others, whose names were given by the police as Florence Bonzi, 35; Esther Larbi, 32; Comfort Brobbey, 45; Maame Serwah, 8, and Comfort Danso, 42, have been deposited at the Ashanti Goldfields Company (AGC) Hospital mortuary at Obuasi for autopsy.

Mr K.A. Boateng, Obuasi Divisional Police Commander, told the Ghana News Agency (GNA) that out of the 12 members who sustained various degrees of injuriy, 10 are on admission at the AGC Hospital, one at the Obuasi Government Hospital while Comfort Boansie, whose condition is said to be critical, has been operated upon at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi. Seven others were treated and discharged.

He said Yaw Amoah, the driver of the Mercedes Benz 2100, with registration number CR 83 D, which was conveying the victims, is also on admission at the AGC Hospital.

Mr Boateng said that the accident occurred when one of the back tyres burst and the vehicle, which was travelling at top speed, somersaulted.

The Obuasi District Pastor of the church, the Rev Joseph Bosomah, who visited the injured at the various hospitals, has appealed to the church members not to waver in their faith in Christ but rather be steadfast in the face of the tragedy.