The Saturday, February 17 incident occurred when the canoe from Dwarf Inland Foekope to Bruben near Donkokrom, capsized after a windstorm, drowning six occupants on-board.

[contextly_sidebar id=”aV4Kv8aSQ1JhbLwvRCEI1p2ryXVokX7z”]Confirming the incident to Citi News, Eastern Regional Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Ebenezer Tetteh, said preliminary police investigations indicated that the accident was caused by a windstorm.

“On February 17th at about 8:18pm, Richmond Amponsah of H/No. D48, Donkorkrom, came to the charge office and reported that at about 5:47 one Akoli Afetsi was in charge of an outboard motor canoe with nine passengers on board from Foekope, Dwarf Island to Bruben near Donkorkrom. That on reaching a section of the Volta Lake, there was a storm and the boat capsized resulting into the death of Victoria Akoto aged 69, Rebecca Same aged 46, Vena Akpaglo aged 42 a pregnant woman, Patience Afete aged 28,  Kekeli Akpaglo aged 2 and Stanley Dakatsey who is 1-year 4months old”.

Asp Ebenezer Tetteh indicated that the bodies have since been deposited at the morgue as police continue their investigations.

“Bodies of the victims have been retrieved and deposited at the Donkokrom Presbyterian Hospital morgue for autopsy, while police continue with investigations into the unfortunate incident”.

“I will use this opportunity to express our condolence to the families who have lost their relatives and advice canoe owners and operators to pay attention to the changes in the weather and also make provision for life jackets”.

Pregnant woman, 8 others perish as boat capsizes

In August 2016, nine people, including a pregnant woman, drowned when the boat they were travelling in capsized on the Dakar river in the Northern Region.

’15 perish in Yeji accident’

Also in June 2016, 15 people, including at least six children, died in a boat disaster on the Volta Lake.

This followed another in May, where about fifteen people were rescued in an accident involving a ferry heading towards Yeji. In January that same year, one person died while hundreds were rescued in February in two different accidents.

2 pregnant women, 7 others drown in boat disaster on River Oti

This accident comes after a similar one in February this year. Two pregnant women and seven others died after the canoe in which they were travelling on the Oti River capsized.

The deceased were part of 11 passengers on-board the canoe returning from a church service in Mawuvi Kofe to Dzagbeshi Kofe; all satellite communities in the Krachi East Municipality of Volta Region.

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By: Neil Nii Amatey Kanarku/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post Pregnant woman, 5 others drown after canoe capsizes on Volta Lake appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

The pupils, hitherto, were compelled to cross the River on a precarious wooden bridge to school in the main Abotoase Township.

The makeshift bridge according to residents, often submerges or breaks when the river overflows, exposing the lives of the pupils to danger, with most of them staying off until the water subsides. 

The situation clearly affects their school attendance and academic performance.

One of the pupils told Citi News that “anytime we want to cross the lake, we have been facing many problems. We sometimes have to remove our uniforms to cross by foot or swim through. The two boats available are often full since other people including traders use them, and anytime the wooden bridge breaks, we have to go back home and not attend school that day.”

Touched by the worrying situation in the area, Mr. Daniel Korsina, a three-time Parliamentary aspirant of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the area and a businessman, stepped in to provide a dedicated canoe for the pupils and teachers to use.

He said the gesture would go a long way to ensure the safety of the children and keep them in school, while the government makes efforts to provide a permanent bridge for the communities.  

Abotoase is an inland fishing community in the Tapa Traditional Area, and a major town in the Biakoye District of the Volta Region.

His donation, which also coincided with the International Day of the girl child, witnessed a durbar held to commemorate the day with the various speakers present advising parents and other stakeholders in the community, to protect the rights of the girl child, and mold children to become responsible future leaders.

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By: King Nobert Akpablie/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post V/Region: Philanthropist donates canoe to transport school pupils appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

With the exception of the Upper West and Upper East regional Secretaries who received late text message invitations to the meeting, all the NEC members including regional Chairmen and their Secretaries have already arrived in Accra for today’s meeting.

Top on the agenda would be drawing a time table for the already heated flag bearer contest.

Citi News has picked strong signal that some of the members will push for early congress to curtail deepening disunity in the NPP ahead of the 2016 elections.

Also on the agenda is the appointment of officers for the various positions at the national level.

These include the Director of Communication, Director of elections, Director of Finance and Administration among others.

Also expected to be appointed are Deputy General Secretary, two Deputy National youth and National Organizers as well as Deputy Women Organizers and Deputies for the Nasara Club.

As envisaged earlier, Citi News has picked up a strong signal that the Executive Director of policy Think Tank, Centre for Freedom and Accuracy, Andrew Awuni is on top of the Director of Communication list.

Former Northern Regional Communications Director of the NPP, Abudu Abdul Ganiyu is likely to be appointed as Deputy Communications Director with additional responsibility of managing the three regions of the north.

Information available to Citi News indicate that National Youth Organizer, Sammy Awuku prefers one Mustapha Abdul Salam from Tamale to be his first deputy but forces belonging to the Alan Kyerementeng camp are lobbying for one Mr. Mujeeb who is the latter’s campaign coordinator in the Upper West Region

In an attempt to make the NPP attractive to the Voltarians, Kenwood Norwusu is tipped to deputize Kwabena Agyei Agyepong who succeeded Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie after the Tamale delegates’ congress.

The outcome of today’s meeting will determine whether the NPP is indeed hungry for power or will continue to wallow in opposition for the next decade.

By: Abdul Karim Naatogmah/citifmonline.com/Ghana

The post NPP to announce date for flagbearship election today appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.