Saaka Salia accuses NDC of parking truck on railway line in the Tema-Mpakadan train crash

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Saaka Salia, a member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Communications Team, has accused the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) of masterminding the truck that was parked on the Tema-Mpakadan railway line, causing the train crash involving the newly imported Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train.

The Ministry of Railways Development confirmed that one of the new DMU trains was involved in a minor accident.

According to a statement from the Ministry, “At approximately 12:10 pm on Thursday, 18th April 2024, while conducting the test, an incident took place around Km 76+100. The DMU, upon approaching the curve at Km76+ 100, encountered a stationary vehicle stationed right across the rail track”.

The statement added that, despite the immediate application of the emergency braking system, the train was unable to come to a complete stop before colliding with the vehicle.

The Ghana Police Service subsequently arrested the driver of the Hyundai truck, who allegedly abandoned his truck on the railway line, leading to the train crash on Thursday, April 18.

According to the police statement, preliminary investigations had established that the suspect driver left the truck unattended on the railway line, resulting in a collision with the new Diesel Multiple Unit (DMU) train.

Moreover, the 41-year-old Abel Dzidotor was convicted and sentenced to six months of imprisonment on Friday, April 19, after admitting guilt to three out of the four charges levelled against him.

But the NPP communicator accused the NDC of being behind Abel Dzidotor because they supported the actions, as the party never criticised the 41-year-old driver.

He made the accusations while speaking on The Biggue segment of the TV3 New Day programme on Wednesday, May 22, 2024.

Touting President Akufo-Addo’s achievements in the railway sector, Saaka Salia said, “…if you look at railway infrastructure…Mpakadan to Tema, haven’t you seen when we were doing the test run that NDC people used some car to [cross the railway line]…that is what happened.”

Saaka Salia has accused the NDC of driving a car into the middle of the railway tracks, causing an accident between the newly imported train and a parked truck during the test drive.#TV3NewDay pic.twitter.com/hJrmaOkFwy

— #TV3GH (@tv3_ghana) May 22, 2024

“Because they [the NDC] came to the defence of the man…it’s so obvious who the man is…it was a sabotage,” he argued.