Wa West Tragedy: Two Drown in Black Volta Canoe Disaster After Funeral Trip
Two perish and one remains missing after a canoe carrying funeral returnees capsizes on the Black Volta River, exposing ongoing safety failures and lack of life jackets.
- Two people drowned after a canoe capsized on the Black Volta near Bankpama in Wa West
- Victims were returning from a funeral in Burkina Faso and had no life jackets
- NADMO pledges to supply safety gear as locals call for urgent enforcement of river safety measures
Two people have lost their lives in the Wa West District after a canoe they were traveling in capsized on the Black Volta River on Sunday, July 20.
The victims were part of a six-member group returning from a funeral in neighboring Burkina Faso when the accident occurred midstream near Bankpama.
While four passengers managed to swim to safety, two were swept away by strong currents. As of Tuesday, July 22, only one body had been retrieved.
Assembly Member for Bankpama, Mr. Nyord John, expressed frustration over the persistent neglect of water safety measures, revealing that the victims were not wearing life jackets—a recurring issue in the area.
“This is not the first time we’ve witnessed such preventable deaths. It’s always the same issue—no life jackets,” he said.
Despite multiple drowning incidents and community pleas, safety equipment remains scarce, and efforts to raise funds for life jackets have stalled. Local authorities have received little to no support from the central government.
Officials from NADMO and the Ghana Police Service have visited the site and are assisting with recovery efforts. NADMO has since promised to provide life jackets to local canoe operators.
The Black Volta remains a vital transport link for Wa West residents, but with no regulation or enforced safety standards, it continues to pose a deadly risk.
