Two individuals have tragically drowned in the Black Volta River following yet another avoidable canoe accident in the Wa West District of the Upper West Region.
The victims were among a group of six people returning from a funeral in neighbouring Burkina Faso on Sunday, July 20, when their canoe capsized midstream near Bankpama. While four of the passengers managed to swim to safety, two were swept away by the river’s strong currents.
As of Tuesday, July 22, only one body had been recovered, with search efforts still ongoing for the second.
Mr. Nyord John, Assembly Member for the Bankpama Electoral Area, confirmed the incident to Channel One News, lamenting that none of the passengers had been wearing life jackets—a recurring issue in the region.
“This isn’t the first time we’ve lost lives on this stretch of the river,” he stated. “Each time, the lack of life jackets is the main factor.”
Despite the frequency of such tragedies, access to basic safety gear remains limited, and community-driven plans to raise funds for life jackets have stalled. Repeated appeals for government intervention have also yielded little response.
Officials from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ghana Police Service have since visited the scene and are assisting with recovery efforts. NADMO has pledged to provide life jackets to canoe operators in the area to help prevent future accidents.
The Black Volta River remains a vital transportation route for residents in Wa West, particularly for cross-border movement.
However, the lack of regulated transport systems and enforcement of safety protocols continues to make it a dangerous passage.
