A canoe accident on the Black Volta River has claimed two lives in the Wa West District of Ghana’s Upper West Region, once again exposing the persistent neglect of river safety in the area.
The victims were part of a group of six returning from a funeral in neighbouring Burkina Faso on Sunday, July 20.
Their canoe capsized midstream near Bankpama, and while four passengers swam to safety, two were swept away by strong currents. By Tuesday, July 22, only one of the bodies had been recovered.
Assembly Member for the Bankpama Electoral Area, Mr. Nyord John, told Channel One News that “this isn’t the first time we’ve lost lives on this stretch of the river… and each time, the lack of life jackets is the main factor.”
The victims were not wearing any protective gear, highlighting what locals say is the government’s long-standing failure to enforce basic safety protocols on one of Ghana’s most dangerous waterways.
Officials from NADMO and the Ghana Police Service have visited the site and are aiding the search for the second body. NADMO has pledged to supply life jackets to operators in the area—a promise made many times before with little follow-through.
