Boat accident: Stay home; gov’t is working on an alternative solution — Ngleshi/Amanfrom MP advise pupils of Faana

Member of parliament for Ngleshi/Amanfrom, Sylvester Tetteh has advised pupils of Faana in the Greater Accra Region to remain at home until the government provides a boat that can safely transport them from their location to school and back.

On Wednesday, May 10 in Faana, an island community, a boat transporting nine school children across a river capsized which resulted in the death of nine children.

Weeks after the sad incident, pupils in Faana still ferry to school without life jackets or any form of protection.

Speaking on Morning Starr on Starr FM, the lawmaker for the area, Sylvester Tetteh stated the matter should not be reduced to only the provision of life jackets as the government is working on the construction of a boat that will ferry the pupils to school and back home safely.

He advised the pupils to remain home until a boat is provided.

“We should not reduce this whole thing to providing life jacket alone, that will solve the problem. We are of the opinion that kids of this nature should not be made to be put in a boat and say that we have life jackets so they will go to school without any assistance from parents or anybody older. The boat they used is not a dedicated boat, the person was just a passerby and they had to jump on it. It is better if they wait for us to get it right. We are clear in our minds what we are going to do.

“I didn’t take the decision alone, all of us sat through and thought it wise that look, this is what we can do for people to be able to account for whatever we are doing. There are older people who commute and go to school, and I’m aware that life jackets have been provided per the NADMO report they gave me. I’m saying that when it is not well coordinated you may take the life jacket to the place today but how are they going to commute and don’t forget we have kids, as young as one to four years. It is better that these kids stay at home and get things properly done than for them to be put on a boat they don’t know where it’s from, it’s not dedicated for their education,” Hon. Sylvester Tetteh told Host Francis Abban.