President’s convoy involved in accident

The convoy of President Nana Akufo-Addo has been involved in an accident leading to injury of four military men.

The soldiers were in an armoured vehicle which turned on its side on the Bolgatanga–Navrongo highway en route to the Upper East Region.

Reports indicate the armoured vehicle was left behind and drove at top speed to catch up with the convoy.

In the process, it rammed into another vehicle which was part of the president’s entourage.

President Akufo-Addo was unharmed but the injured soldiers were conveyed to the Bolgatanga Hospital for medical attention.

The President later had a meeting with the Upper East Regional House of Chiefs after arriving for his tour of the region.

Dr Bawumia involved in an accident twice

Accidents involving presidential convoys are not rare in Ghana, but  Vice-President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has been involved in the most accidents.

He escaped unhurt after his convoy was involved in a crash at Asemasa near Beposo in the Western Region.

This occurred in February 2019. The driver of the Urvan bus which caused the accident died on the spot.

But a year before, a taxi driver reportedly crossed his convoy and crashed into one of the vehicles on the Yendi-Tamale road.

Dr Bawumia had gone to the Northern Region in December 2018 for the funeral of Yaa Naa Mahamadu Abdulai and was on his way back to Tamale when the accident happened.

Other Presidential and Vice-Presidential convoy accidents

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 Prosecution said 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.

The prosecutor said 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 in the 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 corp 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.