The National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) has admonished canoe operators across the country to always use life jackets to safeguard their lives.
The advice by NADMO follows the retrieval of six bodies and the rescue of two others in the Afram River.
The unfortunate incident occurred Thursday morning (November 9, 2023) at the Agyata Electoral Area while eight people were attempting to cross the river from Azietsi-Korpe, a village near the Agyata community.
Fortunately, two of the victims managed to swim to safety, while the other six met their untimely deaths.
The victims were reportedly labourers hired from Maame-Krobo and neighbouring areas to work on a commercial farm.
The Eastern Regional Operations Director of NADMO, Mr. Alfred Owiredu-Agyeman in an interview monitored by The Ghana Report on Citi News, noted that canoe operators should prioritize their lives and use life jackets in their operations at all times.
He further revealed that “NADMO supplied life jackets to these canoe operators last year, and we realized that they are not making good use of the life jackets. Using the life jacket will go a long way in saving lives”.