Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Samuel Abu Jinapor has outlined new and stringent measures for the transportation of explosives following the Appeatse disaster.
Addressing Parliament on Thursday March 3 investigations so far into the accident, he said the committee investigating the matter did not consider a possible collision of the tricycle as widely reported in the media.
“The committee recommended that Maxam [the company transporting explosives] be sanctioned. The committee also made some recommendations to make the transportation of the explosives safer.
“These include the installation of fire suppression systems in explosive vehicles, the use of two escort vehicles, one in front and one behind, the use of two Police officers, one armed and the other unarmed, the use of sirens to alert road users and the review of the entire health and safety regime of the mining industry.
“As to the specific issue of publication of the report, it is the considered view of the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources that it will be more useful to publish the report of the health and safety committee of inquiry which has a broader mandate and whose recommendations are geared towards reformation of the mining sector.
“The matters of tricycle and vehicle crossing each other on roads is not a matter within the remit of the Minister for Lands and Natural resources. Those are matters within the remit of the MTTD of the Ghana Police service. I have no mandate to investigate these matters, left alone to make findings.”
The Police had said immediately after the accident which occurred on Thursday January 20 that its preliminary investigation established that a mining explosive vehicle moving from Tarkwa to Chirano mines collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion.
The Police statement said “Reference to our earlier emergency public notice, the Police have taken charge of the situation providing security to enable the emergency workers including the Ghana National Fire Service, NADMO and the Ambulance Service to manage the situation.
“The public has been advised to move out of the area to nearby towns for their safety while recovery efforts are underway.An appeal is also being made to nearby towns to open up their classrooms, churches etc to accommodate surviving victims.
“Meanwhile, preliminary investigation has established that a mining explosive vehicle moving from Tarkwa to Chirano mines collided with a motorcycle resulting in the explosion. Most of the victims have been rescued and are on admission at various hospitals and clinics within the Bogoso Municipality.
Source: 3news.com|Ghana