Roads Minister, Kwesi Amoako Atta, says the government will foot the medical bills of the people who were injured after a tipper truck crashed into a tollbooth on the Accra-Tema motorway on Monday, July 12.
Speaking to JoyNews, he stated that one of the injured persons was working for the government while three others had stopped to pay their toll and through no fault of theirs were run into.
Mr Amoako-Atta said that the government is ready to ensure that the victims are taken care of to prevent any more deaths.
“Government is prepared to take care of the bills. They were at the tollbooth premises and they were involved in an accident. We shall ‘sought it’ out. Our primary concern is to see to their health, we will not shirk our responsibility.
“What concerns us and what concerns the government is for us not to lose any of them and do whatever we have to do to save their lives, I can assure their families and the people of Ghana,” Mr Amoako-Atta told Kwesi Parker-Wilson.
So far, one life has been lost with four others in critical condition.
According to a witness, Ransford Odio Tetteh, the tipper truck driver, who was dozing while driving, first hit one of the cleaners of the tollbooth who is said to have hearing and speech impairment.
The truck also ran over his legs. He died after he was sent to the hospital.
The speeding truck then hit the back of a saloon vehicle that had stopped to pay a toll and later drove into the tollbooth destroying it immediately.
The three persons in the vehicle are said to have sustained various degrees of injuries.
The Roads and Highways Minister stated that the four persons are in stable condition, adding that he has been able to speak with them.
“It is so unfortunate and regrettable that we have lost one of the collectors, and there are four more who are hospitalised. Out of the four, three were in a private car but we are not separating them from our own.
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“Once they were involved in the accident, we are looking at all of them together. I have been briefed by the medical officer in charge of them, the initial report I have is highly commendable.”
Mr Amoako-Atta assured that there will be a review safety strategy to ensure maximum protection for tollbooth attendants.
Meanwhile, the driver of the tipper truck has been picked up by the Tema Police.
Tema Motor Trafic and Transport Department Commander, Chief Superintendent William Asante, said the driver, who did not sustain any injury, will be charged with careless and inconsiderate driving.