Fourteen (14) passengers aboard a Takoradi-bound Toyota Hiace Minibus with the registration number GX 362 – 20 were left in limbo at a place near Anomabo in the Central Region on the Accra – Takoradi road this morning.
The situation occurred when the passengers complained about the dysfunctional air conditioner in the vehicle making them uncomfortable.
The driver, Simon Akumia, who stopped and parked the vehicle realized that the fan belt which also controls the motor to the air conditioner had torn into pieces.
Spotting a mechanic shop, he called one of the mechanics and jumped into a taxi to Anomabo in search of a fan belt to be fixed on the bus.
It took the driver more than an hour leaving the passengers with their fate before he came back with a mechanic to fix the problem without telling them anything, not even an apology.
Passengers who could not contain the situation vented their frustration and anger on the driver for failing to acknowledge them and demanded an apology from him but to no avail.
Prior to the driver’s arrival, passengers had called the Kaneshie Stanbic Station to report the incident and the driver’s behavior towards them.
The station officers apologized on behalf of the driver and said the driver should have called the office for another vehicle to be brought since it was not right to continue with the same bus whose fault may be more than anticipated.
However, this did not go down well with the driver who started raining insults like, “kwasia”, “monnim nyansa”, “mmoa”, “moagyime gyime” among other unprintable words on the passengers.
This, the driver did simultaneously while driving as he got infuriated the more when the passengers retorted.
The question we are asking is that, should the driver’s action go unpunished by his employers, should we entrust the precious lives of people in the hands of such quick and short tempered people?
We, therefore, call on the authorities of the Kaneshie Stanbic Station to sanction this driver, Simon Akumia with the vehicle with the registration number GX 362 – 20 to save their image going forward.
This driver is also noted for offensive driving.
Meanwhile, passengers must take notice of this bus and the driver to safeguard their peace and lives.
