GENERAL NEWS

A year when soldiers made stubborn trotro drivers arrange dead bodies, mop mortuaries as punishment

In 2008, there was a time when some recalcitrant bus ‘trotro’ drivers and their conductors were given some stiff punishment following their violation of some traffic rules.

Drivers who parked close to the 37 Hospital entrance instead of driving to the bus stop to pick up or drop off passengers were detained by military guards at the hospital.

These drivers took turns implementing various punishments they were given by the military guards.

A Ghanaiantimes report published on July 7, 2008, indicated that while some of these offending drivers and their mates were made to arrange dead bodies or mop water on the floor, others were made to weed around the mortuary among others.

Paul Twum, a driver’s mate, told the Times, “One soldier hit my chest and forced me to arrange bodies”.

“They made me carry a dead child on my chest as if I am carrying my child,” said Kwesi Daniels, a driver who suffered the ordeal said.

Yet another driver, GhanaianTimes reported, accused the guards of making him fondle a dead woman’s breast.

One female Lietenant-Colonel (name withheld) explained that the drivers were being punished because they had been stopping close to the entrance of the hospital instead of going to the bus stop.

That practice, she said, usually created congestion at the entrance which posed problems, for the hospital, especially when ambulances were moving in and out.

In her defense, however, she directed that offending drivers be given work to do but did not follow up on the kind of work they were made to do.

The Commander of the hospital, Brigadier-General Wadhwani, however, queried the mortuary attendants who had assisted in punishing the said drivers and condemned the actions.

 

 

Source: www.ghanaweb.com

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. In addition to his media ventures, Solomon serves as a Brand Ambassador for Alabuga, a prominent Russian industrial company, representing their interests and expansion across Africa. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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