Muntaka Mubarak, Minister of the Interior, and John Jinapor, Minister of Energy and Green Transition, are scheduled to appear before Parliament next week to address urgent concerns about the absence of life jackets in villages that rely on water transit.
Their summoning follows the fatal drowning of seven Lawra Senior High School pupils on June 13, 2025, while crossing the Black Volta river.
Given the significance of the Volta River to the tragedy, the Energy Minister’s involvement aims to facilitate discussions with communities along the Volta.
During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, June 17, Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Asiamah Amoako supported Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor’s motion that the ministers appear before the House. He described the situation as urgent and in need of immediate response.
“If we could look at the Interior Ministry’s budget and assign a piece of it to deal with this situation. “It is very critical,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Bede Ziedeng, Member of Parliament for Lawra, has urged the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Regional Coordinating Council, and the Lawra Municipal Assembly to promptly provide life jackets to villages along the Black Volta.
“I appeal to NADMO, the Regional Coordinating Council and the Lawra Municipal Assembly to come to the aide of Lawra SHS and the bereaved families,” according to him.
Ziedeng also promised to deliver 10 life jackets to the affected villages and urged Parliament to take quick legislative action to avoid future deaths.