An audit report by the Auditor-General has uncovered severe safety lapses in Ghana’s inland water transport sector, leading to the loss of 34 lives between 2019 and 2023.
Despite the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) spending GH¢94.77 million over the last four years to enhance safety, the report highlights the alarming frequency of accidents, with 23 watercrafts involved in tragic incidents.
The report, which focused on the safety of inland water transport, revealed that fishing crafts, often used to transport passengers illegally, were responsible for more accidents than designated transport vessels.
“We observed during our visit… that 17 watercrafts designed for fishing, which are not allowed to transport passengers, were being used to transport a total of 115 passengers and goods,” the report stated.
The Auditor-General’s report pointed to GMA’s failure to adequately monitor watercraft operators, allowing dangerous practices to go unchecked.
Many fishing vessels, despite not being fit for transporting people, continued to operate on the Volta Lake and other waterways, increasing the risk of accidents and fatalities.
In response, the GMA accepted the audit’s recommendations and revealed they had developed a draft Inland Water Regulation awaiting parliamentary approval.
The new regulation is intended to impose stricter safety measures and sanctions to prevent further loss of life on Ghana’s waterways.
