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Friday, March 29, 2024

Minister Visits Submerged Ferry Victims

A scene during the visit

The Savannah Regional Minister, Salifu Adam Braimah, has visited
victims of a submerged ferry at Makango Volta Lake in the East Gonja District
of the Savannah Region.

Some days ago, the ferry called Nana Besemuna, which was travelling
on the lake to Makango with passengers, yams and other farm produce loaded on
trucks, submerged.

DAILY GUIDE
gathered that the submerged ferry is about 50 years old and most of the wooded
panels in the ferry had decomposed but fortunately no life was lost in the
accident.

During the minister’s visit, workers of the ferry managed to pull out the trucks but almost everything had been destroyed by the water.

Some engines of the trucks were also damaged as a result of the
submerging of the ferry.

Residents who use the ferry as their means of transport urged the
government to get them a new ferry.

Naval Captain Akabutu told DAILY GUIDE that they had brought in
machines to pump out the water from the tanks to be able to pull the ferry out
of the lake.

“We have come with a diving company; they have come with some
balloons which will be inserted alongside the ferry and as they pump the ferry
will move up,” he explained.

According to him, the ‘Queen’ vessel which is stationed at Akosombo
is expected to arrive at Makango on Wednesday to assist passengers to cross
over to the other side of the lake.

He also said the Jakpa ferry would ply the Yeji-Makango Lake
permanently to manage the situation.

The minister later called on the Volta Lake Transport management to
frequently maintain the ferries to avoid similar situations in the future, and
added that there were plans to construct a bridge on that side of the lake to
make travelling more convenient.

“We are in talks with a Chinese company to construct a 7-kilometre
bridge across the lake, so we will take it up to Cabinet,” he assured.

FROM Eric Kombat, Makango

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