Thirteen people have been confirmed dead and a pregnant woman has lost her unborn baby after a fuel tanker collided head-on with a passenger minibus at Amanase, near Suhum, on the ever busy Accra-Kumasi highway in the Eastern Region.
The tragic accident happened in the early hours of Tuesday, April 22, 2025. According to the Ghana Police and Fire Service, the fuel tanker, with registration number GR 1300-16, veered off its lane and crashed into a Benz Sprinter minibus registered GW 6510-23.
Preliminary investigations suggest that the driver of the fuel tanker may have dozed off behind the wheel, causing the deadly crash.
ADO1 Akonnor Opare Ohene Daniel, the Public Relations Officer of the Ghana National Fire Service in Suhum, confirmed the death toll. He said the victims included ten men and three women. Several other passengers sustained serious injuries and are currently receiving treatment at the Suhum Government Hospital.
Emergency services, including fire officers and police personnel, rushed to the scene to assist with rescue efforts and to manage heavy traffic that built up along the highway.
According to reports, one of the survivors told reporters that he woke up to find the vehicle completely off the road and badly damaged.
It was confirmed that a pregnant woman who survived the initial crash later lost her unborn baby due to the severe impact of the accident.
Medical officials at the Suhum Government Hospital confirmed that an ultrasound scan revealed the baby had died. The woman also suffered a serious head injury and was immediately taken into surgery.
Health authorities have announced that two of the injured victims are in critical condition. One of them is being prepared for transfer to the Eastern Regional Hospital in Koforidua for advanced care.
Dr. Ama Afriyie, the Medical Officer in charge of the emergency ward at the Suhum Government Hospital, briefed the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Awatey, during her visit to the hospital.
In response to the emergency, the Minister donated GHC 5,000 to help cover the initial medical costs and promised that the Regional Coordinating Council (RCC) would support victims, especially those without family nearby.
Road safety officials have once again urged drivers to avoid fatigue and take rest breaks when traveling long distances, warning that such preventable tragedies must not continue.
