The Oti Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Gerald Kwabena Foster, has called for stronger enforcement of safety regulations and intensified public education on the use of life jackets following a tragic boat accident on the Volta Lake that claimed 16 lives.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Tuesday (14 October), Foster described the incident as a devastating but avoidable tragedy, revealing that an 11-year-old boy was steering the boat at the time of the accident. The boy was among those who perished when the vessel capsized near Dambai in the Krachi West District over the weekend.
“We cannot work alone. When the incident happened, we were there with the police, the navy, and the maritime authority to put things in order. But the truth is, some residents still refuse to wear life jackets even when they are provided,” Foster said.
He explained that despite years of sensitization efforts by NADMO, the Ghana Maritime Authority, and other agencies, many residents living on the numerous island communities along the Volta Lake remain reluctant to use safety gear.
“Some of them say the life jackets are heavy or smelly. Others simply don’t see the value. Even when you force them to wear it before crossing, some remove it once they are in the middle of the river,” he lamented.
The Oti Region, he noted, has over 120 island communities where people rely on boats for transportation, fishing, farming, and social activities such as church and funerals. Foster emphasized that the combination of weak enforcement and public resistance has made water transport in the area increasingly risky.
He also pointed out logistical and operational challenges facing NADMO in the region.
“We don’t have a speedboat at the NADMO office. When the accident happened, I had to use a commercial boat that took several hours to reach the scene,” he revealed.
Foster called for a collective and coordinated approach involving the police, the navy, local assemblies, and traditional leaders to promote behavioral change and ensure compliance with safety measures.
“It’s not just about distributing life jackets. It’s about forcing people to understand why they must wear them. We need to strengthen enforcement and increase our presence in the smaller villages and cottages where oversight is weak,” he stressed.
He added that the Ghana Maritime Authority and local assemblies should intensify routine inspections to prevent underage or unqualified individuals from operating boats.
Source: asaaseradio.com
