Chaos at Tema Harbour as workers go on rampage over death of colleague

There was chaos at the transit yard; Depot 10, popularly called Burkina Yard of the Tema Harbour, on Friday evening following the death of a worker.

An eyewitness said the deceased fell and landed on his head while working on a container dying instantly.

The workers were enraged as several calls for an ambulance to covey the body to the mortuary fell on deaf ears.

The eyewitness told Accra-based Citi FM that his colleagues began a protest over the development as they have always informed management about the need for a standby ambulance in the yard due to the high risk involved in the work there.

“That section is a thin line between life and death, and there must be an ambulance parked 24/7 so that when an incident like this happens, the ambulance can convey the person.

“We’ve talked about this issue about ambulance, but all fell on deaf ears. The workers were angry because the ambulance didn’t show up,” he said.

According to the eyewitness, during the protest, armed police officers came into the yard and began firing into the protestors.

As a result, some workers were injured, including one person who was hit in the eye with a rubber bullet.

“Management called for police, and when they came, they shot into the crowd. They were about six officers. They were shooting directly at the crowd. One person had his eye shot and the other, the back [sic],” the eyewitness said.

As of Saturday afternoon, the situation is said to be brought under control, although armed military officers were invited to monitor and guard the port and its infrastructure.