A total of seventeen people were injured when a Kia truck ran into a crowd during a float at Agona Asafo in the Central Region.
The float, organised by the Agona Asafo Akwambo Planning Committee, was to showcase a giant football trophy ahead of a gala competition for participating communities in the town.
The injured were rushed to the Agona Swedru Municipal Government Hospital, where 11 were treated and discharged. Six others, who sustained deep cuts, remain on admission.
Dr Julius Abuku, Medical Superintendent of the hospital, said those in critical condition had undergone surgery and were responding to treatment. He assured that doctors and nurses were doing everything possible to save lives.
Nana Yamfo Nsuako XII, Chief of Agona Asafo and Nifahene of Agona Nyakrom Traditional Area, described the accident as “unfortunate.”
He explained that the trophy had been purchased by a native of the town to support the gala, which would form part of the Akwambo Festival. The committee decided to parade it through the principal streets to create awareness and announce cash prizes for the best player, best goalkeeper, and winning team.
The Chief assured that despite the incident, the festival would go on as scheduled from Monday, September 1 to Saturday, September 6, with a grand durbar of chiefs and people to climax the celebration.
However, in June this year, three students and a taxi driver died following a crash at Natwibuw on the Winneba-Apam highway.
The students from Uncle Rich and St. Paul basic schools, respectively, were returning home from school at around 4 pm on Monday when another vehicle collided with the taxi they were on board.
Eyewitness accounts suggest the driver of a Toyota Rav 4 registered GN 5507-18 collided head-on with the taxi cab also registered CR 748-20 after a wrongful overtaking.
The crash led to the death of the driver on the spot, as it took emergency responders strenuous efforts to extricate his body.
One of the students also died on the spot, while two others died while on admission at the Trauma and Specialist in Winneba, raising the death toll to four.
