MMT opens investigations into fatal Kintampo accident
Metro Mass Transit (MMT) Company Limited says it has started internal investigations into the gory accident on the Kintampo-Tamale road that left 63 passengers dead and 25 others seriously injured last Wednesday.
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“While we leave the Police to do their investigations, MMT will also use its internal mechanisms to do in-depth investigations into the road traffic crash,” it said in a statement signed by its Head of Communications, Ms Bernice Akologo.
Terms
The investigations, Ms Akologo told the Daily Graphic, would among other things establish the cause of the accident as well as the number of passengers involved, as there were conflicting figures in media reports.
While stating that the accident was a sad moment for the company, putting it in a state of mourning for the passengers and staff members of the company that died in the accident, it also consoled families of the bereaved persons. It also wished the injured persons well.
According to the company, it had taken steps to pay the medical bills of persons involved in the accident.
“All our cherished passengers are encouraged to remain calm because we will continue to adopt all strategies towards remaining the safest, the most reliable and efficient means of transport,” the statement said.
Previous accident
This is not the first time MMT has instituted investigations into an accident involving one of its vehicles.
In September 2010, the Ministry of Transport opened investigations into an accident involving an MMT bus on the Ada-Tema road in which 15 people died.
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The accident on August 16, 2010 happened when one of the company’s buses ran into an articulated truck parked on the road.
Drivers training
The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) probe into the fatal accident identified speeding and driver fatigue as the main causes of that misfortune.
The findings indicated weaknesses in driver control systems at the MMT, revealing that the driver of the MMT bus at the time of the crash had been arrested a week earlier by the Aveyime Police for reckless driving and suspected drunk-driving.
But the statement issued by the company stated that more than 2,000 drivers nationwide were re-trained by the MMT in collaboration with the National Drivers Academy.
“We will continue to train them until the desired result is achieved,” the statement said.