There is fire and fury at the mining town of Nsuta in the Western region after a mineral-carrying truck killed a teenager Thursday.
Angry residents have set used tires ablaze as the death has become a rallying flag to demonstrate over poor roads in the mineral-rich town south of the region.
The teen was killed after a manganese-carrying truck from Ghana Manganese Company ran him over at a T-Junction at Tamso community, Pure FM reporter Nana Yaw Owusu reports.
The accident happened at about 7pm Thursday. The truck driver refused to stop and was chased down by a taxi driver until the driver was arrested at Bankyim, about 500 meters away from the crime scene, the Pure FM reporter said.
According to him, the Ghana Manganese Company has engaged hundreds of contractors who cart tonnes of mineral deposits from the Nsuta mines.
He said increasing accidents in the town are a result of bad driving on bad roads as the drivers have a set target to achieve each day.
Only last Saturday, one of the trucks run over a taxi at Agona Nkwanta killing four. A 4-year old girl was also killed at Bonsa by a truck driver last week, the reporter recalled.
“Almost every week there is a knock down”, he said.
The violent protest comes barely two months after residents in Tarkwa blocked town roads, to prevent the travelling Lands and Natural Resources Minister, Kwaku Asomah Kyeremeh, from entering the town.
Backed by traditional leaders, the residents said they wanted to send an emphatic message to the government.
They have repeated the September 26 demonstration on November 16 as roads have been blocked.
A team of police officers are facing the protesters and tensions remain high.
More soon.
–
myjoyonline
