A tragic boating accident on Lake Volta in Ghana’s Oti Region has claimed the lives of 15 people, most of them children, according to a statement released by the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) on Sunday.
The incident occurred on Saturday in the Krachi West District as passengers were traveling from Okuma to Bovime. Maritime authorities confirmed that 11 of the victims were children aged between two and 14 years — five boys and six girls. The other victims included adults up to 64 years old. Four adults managed to survive the tragedy.
The GMA described the incident as “a critical and unacceptable breach of safety standards,” with preliminary investigations indicating that the boat was overloaded. The authority has deployed a specialized investigation team, including naval personnel, to determine the exact cause of the accident.
In response to the tragedy, the GMA announced plans to form a high-level investigation committee in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport. The committee will oversee a “sustained lakeside safety enforcement operation” to ensure compliance with passenger limits and mandatory use of life jackets across Ghana’s inland waterways.
Boat accidents are frequent on Lake Volta, one of the world’s largest man-made lakes. Many of these incidents are linked to overloading, poor weather conditions, and collisions with submerged tree stumps. In August 2024, six passengers lost their lives in a similar incident, while in May 2023, 18 people died after a boat struck a hidden tree stump.
The GMA emphasized its commitment to improving maritime safety, stating that it “remains resolute in unravelling the root causes of this disaster and implementing measures to ensure that no such tragedy ever occurs again.”
This latest tragedy has reignited calls for stricter regulation and community education on water transport safety in Ghana’s rural and lakeside regions.
