Two pregnant women and seven others have been confirmed dead after the canoe on which they were travelling on the Oti River on Sunday afternoon, capsized.
The deceased were part of 11 passengers on-board the canoe returning from a church service in Mawuvi Kofe to Dzagbeshi Kofe; all satellite communities in the Krachi East Municipality of Volta Region.
The survivors recounted that they were on-board in the middle of the journey when the canoe was caught in a heavy storm and later hit a tree stump which caused it to capsize.
The Municipal National Disaster Management Organization NADMO boss, Dasievor Jacob, who confirmed the incident to Citi News, said all the nine dead bodies were retrieved from the River.
The deceased have been identified as Joyce Atali aged 16 years, Bensah Atali, 21, Edward Atali, 18, Dormenyo Atali, 2, Amedzuwoe Akor, 22, Lucy Tsatsu, 19, Xolali Tsatsu, 18, Mkpebi Maabo, 30, and Adwoa Mkpebu, 19.
The bodies were later sent to the Worawora Government Hospital for postmortem and onward burial. Mr. Dasievor cautioned the users of canoes to put on their life jackets and ensure the canoes are not overloaded.
Transportation on most Rivers in Ghana is largely unsafe, and very little is done by government to ensure the safety of users.
12-month old baby, 12 others drown in River Offin
In October 2017, 13 people, including a one-year-old, drowned in the same River Offin.
The victims who are farmers, were using a boat to the other side of the river when it capsized.
Two teachers, student drown in River Volta
Also in March 2017, two teachers and a student from Sadzikofe Basic School, Tornu on Have-Kpando road in the Afadzato South District, drowned in the Dayi river; a tributary of River Volta while crossing the river.
The late Terry Asamoah, William Ahiati and their final year JHS Student, were said to be on-board a wooden boat with other teachers to buy fresh fish in the next town when the boat hit a stump in the river, causing a leakage that capsized it.
Source:citifmonline.com
