Passengers, vehicles stranded on Volta Lake as ferry breaks down

Hundreds of passengers and scores of vehicles were left stranded on the Volta Lake Tuesday evening when the engine of the ferry they were traveling on ceased working.

The ferry which was from Adawso [Kwahu South], was approaching the landing site at the Ekyeamfrom [Afram Plains South] section of the Volta Lake in the Eastern Region when the incident occurred at about 4:30PM. The journey was the last one for the ferry for the day.

About 30 vehicles of all forms, including Metro Mass Transit buses, and about 800 passengers as well as other goods were on board the ferry when it suddenly broke down.

Some passengers had to pay GHC4 to boat operators to rescue them from the broken down ferry to the landing site which was just about 50 metres . Others who feared for their lives considering it was late, had to sleep in the ferry until Wednesday when they paid to be rescued.

The vehicles and goods were still stranded as at 5:00PM Wednesday. Owners are still waiting for the Volta River Authority, which manages the ferry to bring a towing machinery from Akosombo to get the broken down ferry to the landing site.

It is not clear when the towing ferry is likely to arrive. As at 8:00PM Wednesday, it was said to have reached Mpeam Kortes near Ekyeamfrom. The towing process is thus likely to begin Thursday morning, sources told TV3

Meanwhile the broken down of the ferry, which is the only one and the main source of transportation for the people in the area has affected business activities in the area.

Passengers will now have to travel long distances between Adawso and Ekyeamfrom. School children will now have to risk their lives by using wooden boats which is considered unsafe.

Sources say months ago, operators of the ferry detected that one of the engines of the ferry was not working properly but they ignored it.