The boat carrying more than 30 passengers from Tongor-Dzemeni in South Dayi, Volta Region to Havorkope Island in Kwahu Afram Plains North District of the Eastern Region, capsized on the Volta Lake with seven people drowning.

Togbega Dzekley in a release on the disaster said survivors, majority of whom are Battor citizens needed government support to, “fully get back to life, as they lost substantial wealth through the sinking of the boat on which they were travelling” adding, similar support should be extended to families of deceased persons.

“We’re calling on the government and the general public to lend a hand of support to the families of the survivors and the dead. The majority of the victims are natives of Battor Traditional Area who live in the village of Havorkope and the surrounding communities who were returning from Dzemeni Market on that faithful Thursday.”

The release said Togbega Dzekley on behalf of chiefs and people of the Traditional Area expressed their condolences to the bereaved families and wished survivors speedy recovery.

“The disaster has thrown the Battor Traditional Area into a state of mourning because many families are affected. Some of the casualties are students on vacation visiting their parents.

There were others who were also passing through Havorkope to their communities when they were caught in the tragedy.”

The release entreated boat owners in communities along the Volta Lake to ensure enough life jackets on board for each passenger to wear and called on personnel of the Ghana Navy to enforce the wearing of life jackets by all passengers to, “avoid needless loss of life and human capital to the state.”

It called on boat operators to always carefully study the weather before setting sail especially during rainy seasons to reduce incidents of boat disasters due to heavy storms.