The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has disclosed the immediate cause of the tragic boat accident in the Oti Region that claimed 16 lives.
According to Foster Dzre, the NADMO Regional Director, the incident occurred after the 11-year-old operator of the vessel fell into the water.
Dzre explained that the vessel was prone to water ingress, requiring those on board to continually use a container to bail water and prevent it from sinking. The young operator reportedly fell overboard while attempting to retrieve this vital container.
With the boat left momentarily uncontrolled and adrift, the overloaded vessel capsized, leading to the tragic loss of 16 lives.
The disaster occurred on Saturday, October 11, 2025, when the overloaded boat overturned while crossing a section of the Volta Lake.
The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) confirmed the 16 fatalities, noting that the victims included four adults and twelve children aged between two and fourteen. Four individuals survived the tragedy.
In response, the GMA has launched a full investigation, deploying a specialised team comprising maritime inspectors and members of the Navy Task Force to determine the full circumstances surrounding the accident.
Addressing maritime safety in an interview on Frontline on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM, Dzre reiterated that life jackets are consistently supplied for commercial boats and that individual residents in the area have also been provided with them.
However, he lamented that many residents often neglect to wear the safety jackets.
Dzre attributed this widespread non-compliance to the belief among locals in their extensive experience navigating the waters, which leads them to undervalue the critical safety role of personal flotation devices.