President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has charged the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to ensure that it does all within its power to bring relief to the people of Apiate, near Bogoso.

This was after an explosion in the area led to the destruction of properties and the loss of lives.

In a statement via Twitter, the president described the news as a very tragic and unfortunate one.

“It is a truly sad, unfortunate and tragic incident, and I extend, on behalf of Government, deep condolences to the families of the deceased, and I wish the injured a speedy recovery,” the president tweeted.

The president also explained the plans to ensure that the situation is contained, adding that NADMO will do all it can to bring relief to the affected persons.

“The Police, Armed Forces and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) are coordinating efforts to contain the situation, and I have also instructed NADMO to see to it that rapid relief is brought to residents of the town.

“Government will spare no effort to ensure a rapid return to a situation of normalcy for residents of Apiate,” he said.

Background:

Many people are feared dead and several injured in an explosion that happened at Apiatsi, a suburb of Bogoso in the Prestea Huni Valley Municipality.

The entire Apiatsi community on the Bogoso-Bawdie highway has been affected by the explosion.

According to eyewitnesses, there was a head-on collision between a motorbike and a vehicle carrying a container with what is suspected to be mining explosives after which the vehicle caught fire.

Few minutes after the collision, the vehicle exploded, killing an unknown number of people and injuring several others. The highway has been cut into two burying the vehicle.

This has caused a lot of traffic as no car can move from Bogoso to Bawdie and vice versa.

Lots of cars close to the explosion site had their windscreens cracked due to the explosion.

Lots of houses and shops caught fire as a result of the explosion, torching houses and shops.

A major hospital in the area, Aseda Hospital, is flooded with accident victims, with others being taken to the Bogoso Health Centre.

Some of them are also being transferred to Hospitals in Tarkwa and nearby hospitals for treatment.

The fire service is currently at the accident scene, together with an excavator to remove the buried vehicle.
Source: Ghanaweb