Tema (Greater Accra) 12 April '99

The driver of a Benz bus who reversed to pick a rat he had run over on the Kumasi-Sunyani road causing an accident in which one person was killed must be treated as a murderer, Alhaji E.A. Tetteh, Greater Accra Regional chairman of the GPRTU said in Tema on Saturday. He said the driver must not go freed because he ignored traffic regulations and advice from his passengers, as alleged, not to reverse in the curve on a highway. Alhaji Tetteh was speaking at the first La-Teshie-Nungua Tema Drivers Union (LATENDU) fun games organised by the GPRTU in Tema. The culprit driver, who has bolted, was reversing when a car carrying Nana Owusu Asubonteng, chairman of the Bechem branch of the GPRTU and a lady passenger, ran into the bus killing the lady. Nana Asubonteng is in a critical condition at the Sunyani government hospital. Mr. E.K. Gbedemah, national chairman of the GPRTU who was at the fun games supported Alhaji Tetteh's statement, expressing concern about the indisciplined behaviour of some drivers on the roads. The GPRTU would not protect drivers who do the wrong thing, he said. "We nearly killed our former national vice-chairman (Nana Asubonteng) through careless driving", he said. But Nii Quarshie Gene, LATENDU chairman, called on parliament not to pass a bill recommending death penalty for careless driving. He explained that accidents occur at any time and by any means, adding, "even doctors of great calibre and skills do have accidents that cause death to unfortunate patients in the practice of their profession". Nii Gene called on the government to help the GPRTU open driving schools where workshops can be organised periodically to up-grade the skills of drivers. The Kaneshie branch emerged the overall winners in the games, which involved soccer, tug of war, playing cards and sack racing. Other teams were from Madina, 37, Tema, La, Teshie- Nungua and Osu.