Somaliland: Salahley Milk Truck Accident Kills One

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As Borame bound Fuel Tank spews its cargo in Arabsiyo

Citizens in efforts to save lives following an accident by a Hargeisa bound Salahley district milk transporter

By: Latifa Yusuf Masai
HARGEISA (Somalilandsun) – A milk vendor has lost her life following an accident at the Southern tip of Hargeisa town.
The death and injuries to over twelve other passengers occurred after a truck conveying Salahley district milk for sell to the Somaliland capital overturned.
Apart from the one confirmed death, the actual number of those injured originally at 12 is said to have increased as ambulances continue to bring more to the Hargeisa Group Hospital for treatment where hundreds of relatives and concerned citizens are camped for information.
Meanwhile a fuel tanker bound to Borame from Berbera spewed all its 15,000 litres of diesel and petrol in Gabile.
The fuel was lost after the driver of the tanker a Mr. Abdulqadir Elmi Kayhre skidded of the road in the vicinity of Arabsiyo town in Gabile district.
Despite disgorging all its cargo the fuel tanker accident did not result in any death or injuries.
Just the other day a fuel tanker killed its driver and seriously wounded a turn-boy after it caught fire in Sha’ab Area of Hargeisa.
In addition to the increasing numbers of fires destroying property and lives, car accidents are becoming a menace that needs studies to ascertain reasons of which unqualified drivers are mostly behind.
It is imperative that the powers that might be review the current haphazard manner in which Somalilanders are issued driving licenses.
To become a licensed driver one need only apply to relevant authority and upon payment of stipulated fees, kudos, a license is issued.
Thus a new driver who cannot even discern the meaning of road signs and whose driving lessons came through a saloon car is tomorrows heavy duty driver with the responsibility of handling a heavy machine that crisscrosses the country laden with cargo.
The ministry of public works should therefore instill discipline among motorists by controlling issuances of driving licenses especially by driver testing new license applicants and supervising driving school operators.
These measures coupled with license classification for drivers of i.e. motorcycles, SUVs, Public Service Vehicles-PSC and Heavy Commercial Vehicles etc would not only return semblances of normalcy in our roads but reduce fatal road accidents and create income for the central coffers as well.