Thaindian News

Accra, Sep 11 (IANS) In a move to prevent boat disasters in Ghana, a delegation from the West African country will leave for India next week to negotiate the purchase of fibre glass boats that can replace wooden ones.

“The delegation will have marine experts and some boat owners,” said Deputy Minister of Transport Dzifa Ativor.

The wooden boats are currently in use on the Volta Lake in eastern Ghana. Earlier, a boat capsized in the lake, killing traders and fishermen who were travelling to Kagbanya, home to one of the several fishing communities there.

Ativor said the fibre glass boats were to be purchased and distributed to communities along Ghana’s coast that currently use wooden canoes, which have been found to be unsafe.

Officials of the Ghana Maritime Authority said the lake was created after the construction of the country’s hydro-electric dam at Akosombo, east of Accra. Tree stubs cause the wooden boats to break up on impact.

Kwadwo Agbenu, a fisherman at Tapa Abotoase, told IANS: “The government’s decision to go for fibre glass boats is a welcome news as it would help prevent the loss of life. It would also help us fishermen improve our activities.”

Rescue workers are still looking for bodies in the lake after last week’s accident. Officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation have given conflicting figures on the casualty.

Some officials initially said 35 people were killed in the tragedy but others said there might be more people who were drowned.

(Francis Kokutse can be contacted at fkokutse@hotmail.com)