VOLTA LAKE DISASTER: TWO MORE BODIES DISCOVERED (BACK PAGE OCT 4)

TWO bodies, a male and a female, suspected to be victims of the recent boat disaster at Wusuta-Tornu in the Kpando District have been washed ashore at Agordeke in the Afram Plains.
According to the Assembly Member of the Tornu Electoral Area, Mr Emmanuel Afelete, the bodies had been deposited in a mortuary under the instruction of the Donkorkrom Police, pending their transfer to Kpando.
He said a search party of local divers was still searching for drowned victims.
Meanwhile, the Paramount Chief of the Wusuta Traditional Area, Togbe Osei Tutu Brempong III, says his people have been struck with grief and shock over the boat accident, noting that they have suffered a series of boat tragedies from time to time ever since the construction of the Akosombo Dam in 1964.
He said the people, who are mainly farmers, encountered those tragedies when they travelled to markets at Dzemeni and Wusuta Kpebe-Tornu to sell their agricultural produce.
A press release signed by the chief and issued in Ho last Thursday said the tragedies occurred as a result of many factors, including the lack of supervision of boat owners to ensure that good boats, standard machines and accessories were used.
Others were the non-adherence to loading capacity and the absence of life jackets, as recommended by the Justice Gyaesayor Committee of Enquiry into the Abotoase Boat Disaster.
“With modern technology, it is our wish and appeal to the government, non-governmental organisations and philanthropists to come to our aid by introducing fibre glass boats with safe devices.
“It is also our wish that the tree stumps which obstruct smooth sail on the lake should be removed,” the release stated.
It said with the current population of the traditional area of about 8,000, there was the need to upgrade the health centre accordingly and also provide potable water to protect the people from guinea worm and other water-borne diseases.
The release appealed for the construction and tarring of the road from Vakpo to Wusuta Kpebe and Tornu, adding that communication companies should extend their services to the area.
It expressed profound condolences to the bereaved families.