Weija boat accident: Government yet to provide canoes 5 months after death of 9 pupils

Nine students were killed on May 10, 2023, when a boat carrying them to school from Fanaa to Kelee in the Ga South Municipality of the Greater Accra Region crashed.

These children were between the ages of 3 and 13.

The government, after this incident, made several promises of getting the community canoes with outboard motors to aid in the smooth ferrying of pupils to school.

These promises were made by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Henry Quartey, who said, “We are going to bring canoes and an outboard motor to help them and life jackets as well. So, these are the immediate interventions that in earnest, RCC together with the assemblies and the Members of Parliament will do whiles we wait for the report and see what government will also offer the community.”

However, five months after the tragic incident, a visit to the Fanaa community by TV3's Joseph Armstrong shows that the government is yet to fulfil all the pledges.

According to the report, about 20 pupils in the Fanaa municipality have dropped out of school due to the unavailability of canoes for fear of losing their lives as well.

A teacher who was asked about the well-being of the students recounted that those from Fanaa rarely attend school.

“They are no longer coming to school. Because of what happened to them, some of the parents I think they are afraid to bring their wards here again so they’ve sent them back to their various hometowns,” Ama, a teacher narrated.

BAJ/OGB

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