PRESS STATEMENT THE FAANA SCHOOL CHILDREN’S DROWNING INCIDENT
GHANA NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF TEACHERS
PRESS STATEMENT THE FAANA SCHOOL CHILDREN’S DROWNING INCIDENT
The Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, is utterly shocked by the news of
Wednesday’s drowning of the nine (9) school children when the boat which was carrying
the children capsized around Faana, in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality, here in Accra.
We are appalled, that this catastrophe should befall our young learners, their parents, and
the entire community.
We are sorry, that their ambition to grow up, better themselves through education and contribute to Ghana’s forward march, has been truncated, midway the prime of their youth, and we cannot but grieve and commiserate with the parents, the community and the Municipal Directorate of Education.
Our heart goes to the parents, especially the parents of the children who lost their lives and pray that the good Lord would grant them the fortitude with which to bear the irreplaceable losses.
While at it, we entreat the Ministry of Education, and the Ghana Education Service to
ensure that our young ones go through the schools in safety, especially those in the riverine
areas and islands communities.
We have not forgotten the similar accidents which befell:
i. Eight (8) school children from the Atikagome community in the Sene East District in the Bono East Region died when a boat which was transporting them to schoolncapsized on the Volta Lake on Tuesday, January 24, 2023
ii. Five (5) persons who died including three (3) children on March 18, 2023 among
20 schoolchildren in a boat travelling from Atikagome to Wayokope, in Ada East
where their school is located.
All passengers were without life jackets.
One (1) teacher by name Sampson Adu with the Chinekope M/A Primary School
in Kete Krachi Municipality in the Oti Region met his untimely death when the
boat he was travelling on capsized.
This comes barely 24 hours after the death of
the nine (9) school children at Faana, in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality.
It must be reiterated that the loss of life of one school child is one too many, thus the
necessary safety measures should be put in place to avert such misfortune, going forward.
In this vein, the Ghana National Association of Teachers, GNAT, calls on the Ministry of
Education and the Ghana Education Service, GES, to provide teachers and learners in the
riverine areas and islands communities with life Jackets and allied logistics, good canoes
and boats, all to guarantee them some measure of safety on the waters.
Similarly, dilapidated school blocks must be renovated, so that they do not collapse and kill, as
happened somewhere in the Central Region.
Finally, we call on the authorities of the Weija Dam and the Weija-Gbawe Municipal
Assembly and all who matter that henceforth, when the Dam is to be spilled of its extra
water, the surrounding communities would be informed ahead of time, and educated on
safety measures, so as to avert calamities such as loss of lives and property.
School children’s lives matter, and we hope everything would be done to safeguard them,
and guarantee them a future of security, tranquillity and bliss.
We call on all to come on board to ensure this. Enough of the calamities on the waters, forthwith!
signed by
THOMAS T. MUSAH
GENERAL SECRETARY
DATED: 12TH MAY, 2023
