Regional News of Monday, 25 July 2005

Source: GNA

Boat capsizes on river at Kadjebi

Kadjebi, July 25, GNA --A small boat carrying eleven passengers with goods worth several thousands of cedis last Thursday capsized on river Asukawkaw in the Kadjebi District. The passengers who were traders from Dodofie were returning from Dodo Amanfrom on a market day when the small boat they were using capsized.

They were however, rescued by the youth who saw the small boat in distress.

The swift current of the river carried their goods and cash worth over two million cedis away. Briefing the Ghana News Agency, at Dodofie last Wednesday, Mr. John Kofi Nyarko, Assembly member for the area said the accident was due to a heavy downpour on the market day, which caused the river to over flow its bank. He said with no other alternative means of transport to and from the market, small canoes were used to ferry passengers and goods across the river.

"The pressure on the boat was very high so the canoe paddlers could not control it to safety/" he said. Mr. Nyarko therefore, appealed to the Kadjebi District Assembly to provide the people in Dodofie who are predominantly farmers and fishermen with bigger boats to ease the pressure on smaller ones. The Assemblyman further appealed to the Assembly to provide the boat owners in the area with safety jackets. July 25 05