The Minority New Patriotic Party (NPP) caucus in Ghana’s Parliament has called on the government to take immediate and decisive action to improve safety on the country’s inland waterways.
This comes in the wake of a recent tragic boat accident on the Volta Lake that claimed 15 lives near Kete Krachi on October 11, 2025.
In a statement issued on Monday October 20, the Caucus expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and lamented the recurring nature of such tragedies on the lake.
The NPP caucus urged the government to act swiftly to prevent further loss of life, describing the issue as a “matter of national priority.”
The statement, signed by Hon. Kennedy Nyarko Osei, Ranking Member on the Parliamentary Committee on Roads and Transportation, recalled that in 2020, the NPP government secured a US$150 million facility from the Korean Exim Bank to finance the installation of modern inland water transport equipment and floating pontoons to revamp the Volta Lake Transport Limited (VLTL).
According to the Caucus, a comprehensive feasibility study by Ghanaian firm Vision Consult has already outlined the infrastructure and implementation strategy needed to transform the Volta Lake into a safe and efficient transport corridor.
The group emphasised that any further delays in executing the project would amount to “a profound failure” to protect the approximately two million Ghanaians who depend on the lake for their livelihoods.
The Minority also called on the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) to intensify its oversight of inland water transport operations.
- It urged the GMA to ensure the registration of all vessels and strict enforcement of loading regulations to curb overloading, which has been cited as a recurring cause of accidents on the lake.
“The Volta Lake is a critical national asset,” the statement emphasized. “We owe it to the memories of those we have lost, and to the millions who continue to rely on the lake daily, to take urgent steps to ensure inland water transport safety for the Ghanaian people.”
