Two Drown in Black Volta at Bankpama After Funeral Trip from Burkina Faso, Prompting Urgent Safety Measures
On Sunday, July 20, 2025, a canoe carrying six residents of Bankpama in Ghana’s Wa West District capsized in the Black Volta River while returning from a funeral in Burkina Faso, resulting in the deaths of a man and a woman.
The woman’s body was recovered near Tuoli, a nearby riverside community, while the man remains missing despite ongoing search efforts by local divers. Four other passengers managed to swim to safety.
This tragedy, reported by JoyNews and other sources, follows a similar incident weeks ago where seven Lawra Senior High School students drowned at Dikpe, highlighting the persistent dangers of river transport in the Upper West Region.
Wa West District Chief Executive Richard Wulo, in an interview with JoyNews’ Rafiq Salam, confirmed the incident, noting that boat accidents spike during the rainy season when river currents strengthen.
He referenced a similar tragedy last year near Tule, where six people drowned, underscoring the recurring nature of these incidents. Wulo expressed alarm at unsafe practices, particularly children as young as 9 or 10 operating canoes, and called for stricter regulations
In response, the district is collaborating with the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to provide life jackets and enforce safety protocols. NADMO’s district and regional directors have pledged to supply additional life jackets within weeks to mitigate risks for river crossings.
Wulo emphasized the need for community sensitization and cooperation with local leaders to educate residents and implement basic water transport regulations to prevent further loss of life along the Black Volta
