VRA Shuttle Driver Chauffeurs Staff to Safety

The bravery and composure of Mr. Godwin Dogbey, a VRA shuttle driver, prevented a possible tragedy that would have befallen staff resident in Teshie - a suburb of Accra - and its catchment area when a woman suspected to be mentally deranged attacked the bus transporting staff to work in the early hours of Tuesday, February 18, 2014.

The woman who could not be identified was spotted in an indecent brown skirt over a yellow T-Shirt with a red piece of cloth tied around her head and was among a group of pedestrians and commuters at a bus terminal near the Teshie Military Academy Training School who were looking for transport.

The woman, believed to be in her mid 30s, could not hold back her sentiments as she pelted stones sporadically at moving vehicles travelling towards Accra on Teshie-Nungua-Accra high way. Her public nuisance did not only cause fear and panic to passengers and commuters but also put the lives of pedestrians and on-lookers at risk.

Strangely enough, she was not moved by several yells to stop her from continuing with her nuisance but suddenly drifted her focus to the VRA staff bus which was just pulling up at the scene to pick a National Service Person onboard at about 6:41am.

She became fixated as she gazed at the VRA bus and landed a number of stones on it. In spite of that, Mr. Dogbey braced the storm and drove the 17 people on-board the bus to safety before approaching the woman.

With the help of a colleague driver, Mr. Emmanuel Bosompem, the growing apprehension among the staff was calmed down when the two drivers succeeded in keeping the woman at bay in a very sober manner, with each of them holding her by the arm to a passenger shed.

According to Mr. Owusu Agyei Kwame, the National Service Person who works with the Planning Department, he was at the scene before the bus arrived to pick him where he saw the woman throwing stones and objects indiscriminately at moving vehicles for nearly 10 minutes before the VRA bus arrived.

Recounting the incident to the VRA News, Mr. Dogbey said no casualty was recorded and no damage was caused to the Nissan Civilian bus with registration number GW 6041 W. He however, advised colleague drivers to muster courage, exhibit tact and professionalism and think safety first while trusting in God when they are confronted with such challenges in the discharge of their duties.

We learned a day later that the mentally challenged woman was subjected to severe beatings by some people in the neighbourhood who could not tolerate her nuisance.

Mr. Godwin Dogbey, with the bus.

In other news (February, 2014)

• VRA lauded for Prioritizing Safety of Staff.
• VRA Board of Directors sworn into Office.
• Chief Executive expresses Confidence in Ghana Gas Project.
• Italian Astronaut visits Akosombo Hydro Generation Station.
• VRA, PSWU Donate to Family of the Late Samuel Aboagye.
• VRA Tennis Club beats Army Mess Tennis Club.
  
  

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