Madina-Adentan Knockdown: ‘An Unnecessary Loss’ – Akufo-Addo

President Akufo-Addo has expressed his condolences to the family of the student of the West Africa Senior High School (WASS) who lost her life on Thursday trying to cross Adenta-Madina highway.

“I express my deep condolences to the family of the student who lost her life yesterday at Adenta, after being knocked down by a taxi, as she attempted crossing the road on her way from school,” President Akufo-Addo said in a message of condolence.

“Our nation has suffered an unnecessary loss. The scenes that played out in its aftermath are regrettable, and should not happen again,” the President indicated in a post.

According to him, the Ministry of Roads and Highways is ensuring that work begins on completion of the bridges in the course of the coming week and has put together a comprehensive plan to address systematically all these infrastructural problems, which are legacies of a past decade of neglect.

“I would urge drivers and pedestrians to obey and respect the laws on our roads. All of us, Government and the citizenry, have a collective responsibility to safeguard and preserve life. My condolences, once again, to the family,” President Akufo-Addo’s statement concluded.

A first-year female student of the West Africa Senior High School (WASS) who was attempting to cross the highway to go to the WASS campus was knocked down and killed on the Madina-Adentan highway on Thursday.

This led to a demonstration and the blocking of the road by residents of the area. The residents blocked the highway as part of the protest, burned tyres and made it impossible for vehicles to and from Aburi to use the highway.

The protests moved the government to announce that work is to commence on the uncompleted footbridges on the Madina-Adenta highway from next week following the death and subsequent protests on Thursday.

Calm was eventually restored and the road was opened to traffic at about 7:00 pm amid complaints of police brutality and excessive force.