The Oti Regional Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Foster Dzre, has revealed that an 11-year-old boy was controlling the boat involved in the tragic Kete Krachi accident in the Oti region.
The incident, which occurred on the Volta Lake, claimed the lives of 15 people, including 11 children, with one person still missing.
In an interview with JoyNews’ Maame Esi Thompson, Mr Dzre explained that the boat, which capsized midway through its journey, was a fishing vessel carrying approximately 20 passengers.
He added that three adults aged 58, 48, and 36 were among the victims, while the rest were children aged between two and 14.
“The boat that they use for fishing is not that big, so you can see that the people who are on board are kids. Even the person handling the boat was an 11-year-old boy,” he lamented.
Mr Dzre expressed deep concern over the poor enforcement of safety standards on the lake, noting that most passengers did not have life jackets.
“We provide life jackets to commercial boats, but this particular boat was a private one used mainly for fishing,” he noted.
Mr Dzre further explained that the victims were all members of the Okuma community, and the identification of the bodies was done in collaboration with the Police and Navy teams involved in the rescue and recovery operation.
Authorities, including the Ghana Maritime Authority and the Ghana Navy, have launched a joint investigation into the cause of the accident.
The Ghana Maritime Authority has also reiterated the urgent need for stronger enforcement powers to ensure compliance with safety standards on the country’s water bodies.
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