Sylvia, an official of the Electoral Commission (EC) has reportedly died in a motorbike accident in the Amansie South District of the Ashanti region.
The deceased, as Sylvia, was among the among the temporarily contracted officials EC voters exhibition exercise which is going on across the country.
Per reported gathered by Ghanaweb.com and Yen.com.gh Sylvia died on Friday, September 25, 2020 after doing her duties as an EC official at the All Days (Nnyanyinase) Electoral Area.
After closing from her duty post, Sylvia is reported to have picked a commercial motorbike, which is popularly known as okada.
At a point in their journey, the bike rider or ‘okada man’ as commercial motor riders are now known tried to overtake a Sprinter bus. But in the okada man’s attempt, Sylvia is reported to have fallen off the motorbike leading to her untimely death.
It is not known why Sylvia chose to pick a motorbike while going home but YEN.com.gh understands the area she was working in has a poor road network leaving many of the residents to rely on bikes for everyday commuting. Sylvia is said to have been a teacher at the Manso Adubia District Assembly (D/A) Junior High School.
The unfortunate accident of Sylvia comes at a time when there is a massive debate about the legalisation of okada business. The debate about okada has been sparked by the promise of former president and flagbearer of the NDC, John Mahama, to legalise their activities when he wins the 2020 elections.
While the okada is very popular in many parts of Ghana and has high patronage, the business is still illegal. And the former president has promised to put the necessary structures in place and regularise their activities once he comes back into power.
Mahama’s promise has led to divided opinions among Ghanaians; while some have seen it as a means for job creation for the youth and commended Mahama, others described it as very risky. Meanwhile, two people on an okada recently lost their lives after meeting an accident at Mallam Junction in Accra. As earlier reported, the motorbike carrying the two fell off the Mallam junction overhead bridge, crashing into the ground.