Breakdown of VRA ferry disrupts transport on Volta Lake; Oti Minister urges urgent repairs

Transport activities on the Volta Lake in the Oti Region have been severely disrupted following the breakdown of one of the two ferries operated by the Volta River Authority’s (VRA) Volta Lake Transport Department.

Oti Regional Minister, John Gyapong Kwadzo, confirmed the development on JoyPrime’s NewsFlash on Tuesday, October 14, while discussing the recent accident on the lake. He revealed that the ferry has been out of service for the past month, creating significant hardship for residents who rely heavily on water transport.

“The Volta Lake Transport is using only one or two ferries for transport. As I speak to you, we have had one broken down for about one month, and it has not been repaired,” he said.

The minister noted that the situation has hit the Dambai–Kete Krachi route the hardest, as it serves as the main link between the southern and northern parts of the region.

“We are using only one ferry, and this one will cross to Dambai, wait for over four hours before it goes back. The traffic is very huge, and people at times even sleep at the banks of the lake at Dambai for lack of movement of the ferry,” he added.

With only one ferry currently in operation, commuters have been forced to depend on traditional canoes and smaller boats, raising serious safety concerns.

Over the weekend, the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) confirmed that fifteen people, including eleven children, died in a tragic boat accident near Kete Krachi in the Oti Region.

According to the GMA, the boat, which was reportedly grossly overloaded, capsized while crossing a section of the Volta Lake. The victims included children aged between two and fourteen years, along with four adults.

Mr Kwadzo called on the VRA to expedite repairs on the faulty ferry and consider investing in additional vessels to ensure safer and more efficient transport on the Volta Lake, which remains a lifeline for many communities divided by the water body.

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