Civic advocates have urged President John Dramani Mahama to contract electric vessel manufacturers following a maritime safety incident involving market women transported across the Volta River in fishing canoes. The Ghana Maritime Authority condemned the practice after footage emerged showing passengers being ferried to Anyanui market in unauthorized watercraft, violating regulations requiring certified boats and licensed operators for human transport.
Proponents recommend establishing partnerships with companies like NaValt to deploy solar-powered ferries across the Volta Lake regions, where communities rely on unsafe vessels for daily travel. The proposal calls for creating cooperatives managing certified passenger boats while training youth as operators. Advocates suggest incentivizing local boatyards to adopt electric technology through financial relief and establishing emergency response infrastructure at landing sites.
The recommendations follow a fatal canoe accident in the Oti Region that killed 16 people, highlighting persistent risks facing schoolchildren and traders using inland waterways without proper safety equipment or regulatory oversight.
Proponents recommend establishing partnerships with companies like NaValt to deploy solar-powered ferries across the Volta Lake regions, where communities rely on unsafe vessels for daily travel. The proposal calls for creating cooperatives managing certified passenger boats while training youth as operators. Advocates suggest incentivizing local boatyards to adopt electric technology through financial relief and establishing emergency response infrastructure at landing sites.
The recommendations follow a fatal canoe accident in the Oti Region that killed 16 people, highlighting persistent risks facing schoolchildren and traders using inland waterways without proper safety equipment or regulatory oversight.
