Tapa-Abotoase (V/R), April 14, GNA- Mawuli Akimbola Abayateye, 30, the principal eye witness and operator, who was in-charge of the boat christened "Born Again" involved in last Saturday's Volta Lake accident has finally handed himself over to the Police at Abotoase. Mawuli's brother, Sunday Abayateye, the navigator is however, still at large.
Speaking to the Ghana News Agency on Friday, Mawuli said he sought refuge at Kwamekrom in the Jasikan district for fear of being lynched and indicated that Sunday survived the accident but he did not know his whereabouts.
Mawuli alleged that in the early hours of that fateful day, a total of 105 passengers together with their personal effects were forced onto the boat by gun wielding Officials of Game and Wildlife at Dudzome-Digya. He said he discharged 10 passengers at Mancheri leaving some 95 on board before the unfortunate incident.
Mawuli said though the capacity of the boat was 63, intense pressure, brute force and harassment from the officials made him to succumb to overloading the boat, which later capsized and 10 people died. He said the accident happened at "Across" area and due to the excess weight, the bout could not sail over a stump, creating a big hole at its base. Mawuli said the "Across" area hitherto was a normal route they plied in getting to Abotoase, blaming the accident on overloading with drums, cooking utensils, animals, personal effects and 95 passengers. He commended the dispatch with which the rescue team responded to their distressed call, which averted a catastrophe.
Some of the survivors told the GNA that they were evicted from their abodes and left at the mercy of the weather at the bank of the Lake several days earlier.
They mentioned One Gadevi, Corporal, Mohammed and Old Leader as some of the officials of Game and Wildlife who maltreated and deprived them of their livelihood.
Mr William Asiedu, Worawora Zonal Co-ordinator of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) said a total of 71 people mostly children have been registered to have survived the accident. Meanwhile, Mr Solomon Kwame Donkor, Jasikan District Chief Executive on Thursday presented assorted relief items worth 10 million cedis to the survivors at Abotoase.
It included plastic mats and cups, eight bags of rice, five cartoons of tin fish, blankets and gallons of cooking oil.
Nana Oppong Amaniampong II, Krontihene of Tapa-Amanya, receiving the items on behalf of the victims thanked the Assembly for the gesture and pledged to supervise its amicable distribution.
