Madam Ackom said this in an interview on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, expressing sadness over the loss of livelihoods.

The MCE stated that she had visited the farms and confirmed that about 73 acres of rice had been completely destroyed.

“They were looking forward to harvesting in about two to three weeks, but this unfortunate incident has happened. There is nothing to salvage, and all the farmers can do now is go there and cry,” she said.

Over 100 acres of rice farms have been submerged and destroyed following the opening of a temporary bridge blockage by a contractor working on the dualization of the Kasoa-Winneba Highway.

The aggrieved farmers lamented that the contractor blocked the River Ayensu to facilitate the bridge construction but failed to notify them before reopening the channel.

However, the MCE indicated that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) is currently assessing the cause of the destruction, and their report will inform the next course of action.

“We visited the farm with NIB officials on Monday, and I’m hoping to receive a report by the close of day. Then we’ll explore how best we can assist the farmers,” she added.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Rice Farmers Association, Clement Kwame Ofori, commended Madam Ackom for her swift intervention and pledge to provide relief.

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The accident occurred in the early hours of Thursday, involving a VW Sprinter Benz Bus with the registration number GW 5477-24 and Hyundai Grace with the Registration GR 5899-22.

In an interview with Adom News, an eyewitness Kweku Atta narrated that, the Sprinter driver was heading towards Takoradi while the Hyundai Grace was also from Winneba to Kasoa.

The Sprinter driver according to Kwesi made a wrongful overtaken and collided with the Hyundai Grace.

The deceased include two male passengers and a female.

All the 20 victims in critical condition are receiving treatment at Accident and Emergency Unit of Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital.

Meanwhile, the Winneba Municipal Fire Service Commander, D02 Fredrick Adu-Poku has cautioned drivers to desist from the unnecessary overtaken ahead of the Christmas Festivities.

He said the accident could have been prevented if the driver had exercised a little patience.

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The vehicles included a Youtong bus with registration number AS 850-21, an articulated truck with a foreign registration number 349 HF 01 and Honda CR-V with the registration GW- 970-20.

Information gathered by Adom News‘ Kofi Adjei indicates the Youtong bus was travelling from Ho to Cote D’Ivoire.

In an interview, the driver of the Honda CR-V, James Nii Ayi, narrated that the accident occurred in an attempt by the articulated driver to overtake another.

Nii Ayi said the driver hit the back of his vehicle after the wrong overtaking manoeuvre, resulting in the accident.

He said his wife and another from the bus were in critical condition and were rushed to the Winneba Trauma and Specialist Hospital for treatment.

The other injured passengers have also been rushed to nearby health facilities.

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Gomoa Okyereko is a farming community with a population of over 2,000 in the Gomoa East District of the Central Region.

Residents have accused some opinion leaders and politicians from Effutu of bringing the land guards and trying to use force to take their lands without any court ruling.

Speaking to Adom News, some of the residents said several complaints have been made to the Dominase District Police Command, Central East Regional Police Command, and the DCE, Solomon Darko Quarm, but nothing has been done since they started the grading.

The residents have expressed their displeasure and called on the IGP and the authorities to act, adding that they would mobilise themselves and fight if their attempt to control the act proves futile.

Meanwhile, the chief of Gomoa Okyereko, Nana Kofi Donkor, revealed that these land guards have graded over 200 acres of land and all crops.

Mr Donkor said it is painful that there are laws in place yet some politicians from Winneba are using land guards to terrorise them.

The team from the Central East Regional Police Command arrested the drivers on Saturday April 14, 2023 while transporting clay from Takoradi to Tema.

Information gathered by Adom News indicates that, the drivers refused to pay taxes after passing through the axel load control unit established by the Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) through the Ministry of Roads for the control of overloading and dimensions of trucks.

According to the police officers, these tipper drivers failed to go through the process and drove through the highway.

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In an interview, the leader of the operation who spoke on condition of anonymity said the trucks have been parked at the Okyereko police station pending investigations.

The lifeless body of the deceased was found in a bizarre state in River Ayensu.

He was in a supine position with injuries on part of his body.

The body has since been retrieved and deposited at Winneba Trauma hospital for post-mortem.

The Gomoa Okyereko Police have also commenced investigations into the death.

Two others persons also sustained injuries and are undergoing treatment at the Winneba Trauma Hospital.

The accident involved a Sprinter bus with the registration number GW 9105-20.

Reports indicate that, the accident occurred on Thursday afternoon after the vehicle’s tyre burst, rammed into a light pole and overturned.

The Winneba Municipal Fire Service Commander, D03 Kwesi Hughes who confirmed the incident to Adom News‘ Kofi Adjei said the driver was transporting over 30 bags of cassava from Mankessim to Accra.

Those injured his said are the driver and a trader. However, he said the mate died on the spot.

D03 Kwesi Hughes said preliminary investigation has established the accident was caused by overloading.