2021 Asafo-Akyem bus crash

Last updated
2021 Asafo-Akyem bus crash
Ghana location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Asafo-Akyem
Asafo-Akyem (Ghana)
Details
DateFebruary 26, 2021;3 years ago (2021-02-26)
GMT; UTC±00:00
Location Asafo-Akyem, Eastern Region, Ghana
Country Ghana
Incident type Head-on collision
Cause Reckless driving
Statistics
Bus Kia Granbird
Vehicles2
Crew2
Deaths19
Injuredunknown

On 26 February 2021 at around 1:30 AM, two buses were involved in a head-on collision at Asafo-Akyem on the Accra-Kumasi highway in Ghana. [1] Nineteen people were confirmed dead, including both drivers. [2]

Contents

Background

The bus heading from Accra to Kumasi was operated by 39-year-old Emmanuel Asante Opoku. The other bus involved was VIP branded and was heading to Accra from Sankore, the man operating the bus was 55-year-old Kofi George.

Incident

Police revealed that Emmanuel Opoku tried to overtake four trucks in a row and collided with the VIP bus head-on. Sixteen people died at the scene while several others were taken to hospital. [3] The number of confirmed deaths later rose to nineteen. [2]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ghana Armed Forces</span> Combined military forces of Ghana

The Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) is the state military organisation of Ghana, consisting of the Army (GA), Navy (GN), and Ghana Air Force.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cape Coast</span> City in Central Region, Ghana

Cape Coast is a city, a fishing port, and the capital of Cape Coast Metropolitan District in the Central Region of Ghana. It is one of the country's most historic cities, a World Heritage Site, and home to the Cape Coast Castle, with the Gulf of Guinea situated to its south. It was also the first capital of Ghana. According to the 2021 census, Cape Coast had a settlement population of 189,925 people. The language of the people of Cape Coast is Fante.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kumasi</span> City in Ashanti Region, Ghana

Kumasi, also spelled as Comassie or Coomassie, is a city and the capital of the Kumasi Metropolitan district and the Ashanti Region of Ghana. It is the second largest city in the country, with a population of 443,981 as of the 2021 census. Kumasi is located in a rain forest region near Lake Bosomtwe and is located about 200 kilometres (120 mi) from Accra. The city experiences a tropical savanna climate, with two rainy reasons which range from minor to major. Major ethnic groups who lived in Kumasi are the Asante, Mole-Dagbon and Ewe. The current mayor of the metropolitan is Samuel Pyne.

Opoku Ware I was the 2nd Asantehene of Oyoko heritage, who ruled the Ashanti Empire. Between 1718 and 1722, Opoku Ware became Asantehene during a period of civil disorder after the death of the 1st Asanthene. From 1720 to 1721, Opoku established his power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Asante Kotoko S.C.</span> Association football club based in Kumasi

Asante Kotoko Sporting Club, simply known as Asante Kotoko, is a professional football club founded on 31 August 1935 and based in Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Nicknamed the Porcupine Warriors, they compete in the Ghana Premier League and play their home matches at the Baba Yara Stadium in Amakom, Kumasi.

Articles related to Ghana include:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Akyem</span> Akan ethnic group in Ghana

The Akyem are an Akan people. The term Akyem is used to describe a group of four states: Asante Akyem, Akyem Abuakwa, Akyem Kotoku, and Akyem Bosome. These nations are located primarily in the eastern region in south Ghana. The term is also used to describe the general area where the Akyem ethnic group clusters. The Akyem ethnic group make up between 3-4 percent of Ghana's population depending on how one defines the group and are very prominent in all aspects of Ghanaian life. The Akyem are a matrilineal people. The history of this ethnic group is that of brave warriors who managed to create a thriving often influential and relatively independent state within modern-day Ghana. When one talks of Ghanaian history, there is often mention of The Big Six. These were six individuals who played a big role in the independence of Ghana. Of the big six, people of Akyem descent made up the majority.

Osei Kwadwo was the 4th Asantehene of the Ashanti Empire who reigned from 1764 to 1777. Osei Kwadwo was elected in replacement of Kusi Obodom who was removed out of power.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prempeh I International Airport</span> International airport in Ghana

Prempeh I International Airport is an international airport in Ghana serving Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region, other regions in the middle belt of Ghana as well as the northern part of Ghana. In 2023, the airport handled over 400,000 passengers, making it the second busiest airport in Ghana after Kotoka International Airport in Accra.

Konongo is a gold bar mining and manganese mining community located in Ashanti, Ghana. The town serves as the capital of the Asante Akim Central Municipal. As of 2012, Konongo has a settlement population of 41,238 people. Konongo is about 53 kilometres (33 mi) from Kumasi, the Ashanti capital.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Opoku Ware II</span> Asantehene of Asanteman

Otumfuo Opoku Ware II was the 15th Asantehene. He succeeded his uncle Osei Tutu Agyeman Prempeh II on 27 July 1970. He ruled for 29 years until his death in February 1999. He was succeeded by Otumfuo Nana Osei Tutu II.

Pokuase, also spelled Pokoasi, is a suburb of Accra, the capital city of Ghana and spans the area from Pokuase, leading off the Accra-Kumasi motorway on the right coming from Accra central; and leading off the motorway at Pokuase Junction and rising to ‘Okai Kwei Hill’, on the left coming from town. It is a mixture of lively retail shopping areas, with local stores, bars or 'drinking spots', bus/taxi stations, and a market. It also has many hotels, guest houses and rental apartments- such as the eco-chic Legassi Gardens Apartments-, and 'high-end' developing residential estates, such as Ofankor Hills Estates and Franko Estates, amongst many others; as well as the long-established executive gated community of ACP Estates.; and HFS Estates which borders the erstwhile Gua Koo Sacred Grove in Pokuase.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Christianity in Ghana</span>

Christianity is the religion with the largest following in Ghana. Christian Life Of Christ, Catholics, Methodists, Anglicans, Presbyterians, Lutherans, Seventh-Day Adventists, Pentecostals, Baptists, Evangelical Charismatics, Latter-day Saints, etc.

At least 53 people were killed and 23 others injured in a head-on collision between a bus and a truck in Ghana on 18 February 2016. Five children were among the wounded. The government-operated bus was heading to Tamale when it collided head-on with the cargo truck, which was carrying tomatoes, near the town of Kintampo on Wednesday evening. A regional police spokesman said: “It was very serious ... we had to use chainsaws to cut through parts of the mangled bus to get bodies and survivors out. The police affirmed it was one of the worst road accidents in Ghana in years. Even if the cause of the accident is unknown, some sources said that it could have been a problem of brakes, but speeding could also have been the cause. It seems the bus was overloaded, carrying more than the maximum of 63 passengers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ebony Reigns</span> Ghanaian female dancehall artist (1997–2018)

Priscilla Opoku-Kwarteng, known by her stage name Ebony Reigns, was a Ghanaian dancehall/Afrobeats artist known for her hit songs "Poison" and "Kupe". Ebony was discovered by Bullet from Ruff n Smooth. She was the first Ghanaian female musician to win the Artiste of the Year Award at the Vodafone Ghana Music Awards.

Events in the year 2021 in Ghana.

Emmanuel Sarkodie is a Ghanaian professional footballer who plays as midfielder for Ghana Premier League side Asante Kotoko S.C. Born and bred in Kumasi, he previously played for and captained Nkoranza Warriors SC before being snapped by Asante Kotoko in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">George Akuffo Dampare</span> Ghanaian chartered accountant and police officer

George Akuffo Dampare is a Ghanaian chartered accountant and police officer. He was appointed as the acting Inspector General of Police of the Ghana Police Service by President Nana Akufo-Addo on 21 July 2021 effective 1 August 2021, taking over from James Oppong-Boanuh who had been serving since October 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mim, Ahafo</span> City in Ahafo region, Ghana

Mim is a city in the Asunafo North Municipal District in the Ahafo Region of Ghana. It is a nodal town between Sunyani and Goaso on the N12 Highway. The distance from Mim to Sunyani is 64 km whiles that of Mim to Goaso is 14 km. Mim has direct routes to: Kumasi; Kenyasi;Dormaa Ahenkro; Sunyani; Nkrankwanta and Sefwi Debiso.

References

  1. "16 dead in fatal crash involving two Buses at Akim Asafo". GhanaWeb. 26 February 2021. Archived from the original on 2021-02-28. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  2. 1 2 Folley, George (27 February 2021). "Police blame driver for Akyem Asafo fatal crash". graphic. Archived from the original on 2021-02-27. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  3. Agency, Ghana News (2021-02-26). "Sixteen people perish in a fatal accident at Akyem-Asafo". News Ghana. Retrieved 2021-05-04.