Speaker directs inquiry into Kintampo disaster

Speaker of Parliament Rev Prof Aaron Mike Oquaye has directed the appropriate parliamentary committees to carry out an investigation into the Kintampo Waterfalls disaster that recently claimed a number of lives and injured others.

The committee is expected to report on their investigation to the House by the end of the third week after the House resumes sitting after its recess.

It is to find out among others, what led to the disaster, what lessons and what could be done to prevent re-occurrence.

The adjournment of the House for recess, sine die, rescheduled twice to finish outstanding business, is scheduled for this week.

Nineteen people were reported dead and a number of others seriously injured in the disaster that befell the nation at the water falls in the Brong Ahafo Region a fortnight ago, Sunday, March 19, 2017.

The Speaker’s’ directive followed statements on the disaster, by Ms Freda Prempeh, MP for Tano North and Mr Kwasi Etu-Bonde, MP Kintampo North on the floor of the House in Accra on Tuesday.

The victims, mostly students of the Wenchi Methodist Senior High School and the School of Mines and Natural Resources at Fiapre were on an excursion and swimming in the water when the tumbling tree crushed them to death.

"A huge tree fell at the top when the rains began and crushed the revellers," an eyewitness recounted.

The two MPs as well as other contributors to their statements extended condolences to the bereaved families.

They noted that much as the necessary spiritual interventions had been carried out, it was necessary to mount enough surveillance at the tourist site to protect visitors there.

Meanwhile, Mrs Catherine Abelema Afeku, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Creative Arts, contributing to the statement announced that an audit of the site, and other tourist sites across country would soon be carried out.

She said the objective was to make them safer, and attract more tourists.