Awoshie Youth on rampage over non-functioning traffic lights - Man killed by car

About 400 angry youth from communities around the Awoshie-Ablekuma road yesterday blocked a stretch of the Awoshie Mangoase road after a young man died after he had been knocked down by a car.

The youth claimed that the faulty traffic lights on the road had caused incidents of pedestrians being knocked down in the area by vehicles on that stretch of the road.

They claimed about four persons, including a pregnant woman, had so far been killed by moving vehicles since the beginning of this year.

The traffic lights have not been functioning for more than a year now.

The rioting youth prevented vehicular movement and threatened to damage any vehicle which attempted to go through the roadblock.

In the cause of the rioting, they allegedly damaged rails along the road and pulled down a non-functioning traffic light.

It took about 90 minutes for the police from the Anyaa Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), with support from the Formed Police Unit, to clear the road and restore calm.

Police presence

Briefing the Daily Graphic, the Public Relations Officer of the Accra Regional Police Command, Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, said at about 9:30a.m. yesterday, the Anyah MTTD received information from some stranded motorists concerning the agitation by the youth.

She said when the police went to the scene, they found out that a pedestrian had been knocked down near the Awoshie Mangoase Traffic Light on the Awoshie-Ablekuma road.

The victim, identified as 29-year-old Thomas Nyamevor, was knocked down by a Kia Picanto while crossing the road, and was pronounced dead when the driver of the saloon car took him to hospital.

Upon hearing the news, the angry residents and traders in the adjoining community took to the streets and blocked the road.

They demanded the fixing of the faulty traffic lights on that stretch of the road to prevent the frequent knockdowns of pedestrians.

The Anyaa MTTD, with the assistance of the Formed Police Unit, who arrived at the scene with water cannons and other riot control gadgets, dispersed the rioters before motorists could move freely.