Alban Bagbin’s dispatch rider dies in ghastly crash

A dispatch rider who was part of an advanced team for the Speaker of Parliament Alban Bagbin has died in a fatal crash en route to Wa on Friday, August 6.

The deceased, identified as 45-year-old Chief Inspector Abednego Kakyire, died on the spot after his motorbike collided with a Nissan Sentra vehicle.

The driver of the Nissan Sentra with registration number GT 2173-21, is said to have been travelling from the Kumasi-Nkawkaw section of the Kumasi-Accra road.

In an attempt to overtake the articulated truck ahead of him crushed the motorbike, killing the rider instantly.

Two others who were occupants of the private vehicle were also injured and have been rushed to the hospital.

 

The team was headed to Wa to await the arrival of the Speaker, who has a scheduled program in the Upper West Region on Saturday, August 7.

Contrary to earlier reports that the Speaker may have been on board the vehicle, the Head of Public Affairs at Parliament Kate Addo said the Speaker was safe.

“We were told that it happened this morning when the convoy was on their way to Wa. As practice, there is always an advanced team that goes before the Speaker on any of his programs. Mr Speaker is here with us, he was not in any of the vehicles. It’s unfortunate that we have lost one of our riders but Mr Speaker is safe with us, here in Accra.

“The rider has been with us for 12 years so he has been one of the longest-serving convoy riders that we have. He is very experienced so its rather unfortunate that something like this has happened today,” she said.

The body of the deceased police officer has since been deposited at the Juaso mortuary.

Other convoy accidents of dignitaries over the period

On November 14, 2007, Thomas Osei, a driver smashed former President John Agyekum Kufuor’s car on the Liberation Link, near Opeibea House.

According to the police, Osei, who was driving a Mercedes Benz SE 500 saloon car with registration number GT 2989 W was in the inner lane along the South Liberation Link from AFGO towards the 37 Military Hospital.

When he arrived at the Opeibea traffic light, he ignored the siren of the presidential convoy and drove straight into the rear offside portion of the President’s Mercedes Benz 550 saloon car.

The impact forced the President’s vehicle to spin around and hit a light pole on the central reserve.

The President’s vehicle fell on its right side and landed on a VW Golf saloon car with registration number GW 8750 K driven by Pastor Ken Joe Osei Kuffuor, who was driving from the 37 Military Hospital.

All the vehicles were damaged and the drivers, who sustained injuries, were rushed to the 37 Military Hospital.

Further investigations revealed that Osei was driving under the influence of alcohol as when he was tested with an Alco-Sensor it read 0.41 per cent content of alcohol in his breath instead of the legal limit of 0.08 per cent.

Former Vice President Aliu Mahama

One of the cars of Vice President Aliu Mahama’s convoy was involved in a fatal motor accident at Chira, near Sunyani in the Brong Ahafo Region, in November 2006.

At least two people, believed to be the vice president’s security guards, died on the spot, while a third died at the hospital.

The convoy was heading to Sunyani after paying a courtesy call on the Omanhene of Techiman Traditional Area, Oseadeyo Akumfi Ameyaw IV, and inspecting the up-grading project of the Asuogyaman Secondary School in Awirewa, Techiman.

Others including media personnel sustained various degrees of injury.

Press corp accident under former President Mahama

Accidents involving the presidency has been shared by both sides of the main political divide.

However, under former President John Dramani Mahama’s tenure, it was journalists who were hit hardest.

On August 20, 2015, the press corps accompanied then-President John Dramani Mahama to Ho where he opened the annual convention of the EP Church.

While returning to Accra, the Ford GMC bus in which they were travelling burst a rear tyre, veered off the road and somersaulted many times before landing in a pool of water in the nearby bush.

Ghanaian Times journalist Samuel Nuamah died on the spot.

The 15-member press in the vehicle sustained varying degrees of injury.