BoG bullion van collides with fuel tanker, one dead
The timely intervention of security personnel saved the Bank of Ghana (BoG) from losing GHC60.5 million in a fatal accident involving one of its Bullion Vans and a tanker truck at the outskirts of Techiman in the Bono East Region on Friday.
The driver of the tanker truck, who was identified as Yusif Ousmane has been reported dead.
Advertisement
However, the driver of the BoG van, Williams Asare and a Currency Officer, Frank Baah sustained various degrees of injuries and were sent to the Techiman Holy Family Hospital for treatment but later transferred to the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital Kumasi for further treatment.
The Techiman Divisional Commander of the Motor Traffic and Transport Division (MTTD) of the Ghana Police Service, ASP Andrews Kofi Okonengye confirmed the incident to Graphic Online.
BoG van
The van, with registration number GV 88-13 was said to be transporting the GHC60.5 million from Tamale to Kumasi when it was involved in a head-on collision with the tanker with DP number 4222 E 2019 which was in transit en-route to Burkina Faso.
The BoG van was badly damaged during the accident as a result of which the cedi currency notes were scattered at the scene and the nearby bush.
“The Bullion Van was badly damaged beyond repairs making all the cedi currency notes being transported scattered at the scene”, ASP Okonengye said.
He said the accident occurred at a section of the Techiman-Kumasi road between the Techiman Senior High School and Police Divisional Headquarters.
Rescue mission
ASP Okonengye explained that the Techiman Divisional Police personnel led by the Bono East Regional Police Commander DCOP, Kwadwo Djan-Kyere rushed to the scene and blocked both sides of the road for vehicular and human traffic.
He added that the police and military advance party of the Vice President, Dr Mahamadu Bawulia also came to the scene and joined their colleagues to rescue the victims, as well as assisting in recovering the money which was scattered on the road and nearby bush.
ASP Okonengye further explained that the unspecified amount of money recovered was earlier sent to Divisional Police Headquarters, Techiman for safekeeping by the Bank of Ghana officials while the road
He stated, however, that at 6.40 pm, the BoG arranged for the recovered amount to be conveyed to Kumasi.