Accident involving Ekiti’s mass transit bus kills one, injures others

Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, on Thursday expressed sympathy for victims of Wednesday’s auto crash involving a government mass-transit bus and a truck in Ado-Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital.

One of the drivers attached to a government bus conveying civil servants, operating between Adebayo and the Secretariat, lost his life in the accident, while four others who sustained varying degrees of injuries are currently receiving treatment at the Ekiti State University Teaching Hospital (EKSUTH), Ado-Ekiti, and Oba Adejugbe Specialist Hospital in the state capital.

Speaking during a visit to EKSUTH to check on the injured who were rushed to the hospital for treatment, Oyebanji expressed abhorrence for reckless driving, describing it as one of the major causes of road accidents and the attendant avoidable deaths.

The governor, represented by the Deputy Governor, Chief (Mrs.) Monisade Afuye, cautioned drivers against reckless driving to avert a recurrence of such a sordid scenario, warning that the state government would not tolerate any form of recklessness on the road that may constitute a danger to other road users.

He directed the Chief Medical Director of the teaching hospital, Prof. Kayode Olabanji, to ensure the provision of the best healthcare services to help the victims recuperate within the shortest possible time.

“I want to thank the medical personnel for their quick intervention. You know the welfare and safety of Ekiti people are vital and paramount in the mind of Governor Biodun Oyebanji. Please, don’t look at the financial aspect; take good care of them, and immediately the Governor is around, he will surely do something.

“We are not happy that we lost a life during this accident, and some people who were going about their normal duties were also affected and sustained injuries. This was one incident that really pained us as a government.

“The safety of our people is paramount to us, and under this context, we appeal to road users, particularly drivers of articulated vehicles and trucks, to shun reckless driving that can cause unwarranted loss of lives,” the governor warned.

In his remarks, the State Commissioner for Information, Taiwo Olatunbosun, who was part of the governor’s entourage, described the visit as a demonstration of Oyebanji’s commitment to the welfare and safety of residents of the state.

Reiterating the need for motorists to exhibit caution and civility while driving on the roads, Olatunbosun stressed that a little bit of patience and carefulness could have averted the accident.

He said, “The government of Ekiti State really sympathizes with the victims. We are really pained that this actually happened, but we are doing everything to manage the situation. The lives of Ekiti populace are precious to this government.

“The government is really concerned and will stay on top of the matter. However, with the quality of treatment the victims are getting, they will soon be discharged.”

The Chief Medical Director of the hospital, Prof. Kayode Olabanji, said his team swung into action immediately after the injured were brought into the facility, which, he said, helped reduce the number of deaths that could have been recorded during the accident.

Prof. Olabanji promised that adequate attention is being given to any patient brought into the hospital and that the victims would not be an exception, even without considering the financial implications of such treatment.

“Here in EKSUTH, which is a government hospital, what we value is safety, and we will continue to do that,” the CMD assured.