Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has urged residents living along the Volta Lake to prioritize their safety by wearing life jackets whenever they cross the lake.
She made the call during a visit to Okumah, a community in the Krachi East Municipality, where a tragic canoe accident claimed the lives of 15 people, 11 of whom were children.
The incident occurred on Saturday, October 11, when a wooden canoe carrying mourners from Boveme, a small fishing village, capsized while returning from a funeral in Okumah. The victims were part of a group that had travelled across the Volta Lake to attend the ceremony.
As part of her visit, the Vice President, on behalf of the government, donated over 600 life jackets and other relief items to the affected families and survivors.
The life jackets included 200 vests donated by the Office of the President, 400 from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and 50 from the Ghana Maritime Authority.
Addressing the bereaved families and residents, she expressed her heartfelt condolences and assured them of the government’s continued support during this difficult time.
“We all share in the pain you are going through,” she said. “Let us leave everything in God’s hands and come together as one people to protect ourselves and prevent such disasters in the future.”
She emphasized the importance of safety measures, especially the consistent use of life jackets, and appealed to canoe owners and operators to enforce the wearing of jackets by all passengers.
“Please, let us all wear life jackets. They have a way of protecting us. Let’s ensure that our passengers also wear them whenever they travel on the water,” she added.
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Source: Frederick Thompson-Quartey/ATLFMNEWS
