The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) will deploy between 250 and 300 safety guards across inland water communities by the end of the year as part of efforts to improve safety and prevent boat disasters on the country’s waterways.
The Director General of the Authority, Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, announced the plan following last week’s tragic canoe accident at Kete Krachi, which claimed 15 lives.
He said the move is part of broader reforms to strengthen surveillance, regulation and community engagement in inland water transport.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana, Dr. Ali expressed condolences to the bereaved families, noting that Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang and Transport Minister Joseph Bukari Nikpe had visited the community to commiserate with victims’ families.
He explained that the Authority has been intensifying efforts to promote safety on the Volta Lake and other inland waterways.
“We have detachments across the Volta Lake working with the Navy, and we continue to educate communities on wearing life jackets and avoiding overloading,” he said.
Dr. Ali said the Authority had identified several high-risk zones and had already opened offices and new detachments in places such as Dambai and Kete Krachi to respond more swiftly to emergencies. Mapping exercises are ongoing across the Volta, Black Volta and other inland water bodies to improve safety oversight.
He acknowledged that many accidents are caused by human error and non-compliance with safety rules.
“Just as we see with overloaded vehicles on our roads, some boat operators still ignore safety markings and exceed load limits. Unfortunately, on water, the consequences are often fatal,” he said.
To address this, Dr. Ali said the Authority had sought clearance to recruit safety guards who will be trained and deployed nationwide to ensure compliance and raise public awareness. “By the end of the year, the deployment of the 250 to 300 safety guards will help enhance safety in the communities,” he assured.
He also revealed that the Authority will soon relocate its inland water headquarters from Accra to Akosombo to better coordinate field operations and oversight.
Dr. Ali emphasised that improving safety on Ghana’s waters will require joint commitment from government agencies, local leaders, boat operators and the communities themselves.
“We must all take responsibility to protect lives,” he said.
