20-year-old drowns while helping travellers cross Ghana-Togo border river
A 20-year-old man, Kombat Yaw Yiremiah, has drowned in a river separating Ghana and Togo at Tambalug in the Tempane District of the Upper East Region.
The incident occurred at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, August 16, 2026, while Yiremiah was reportedly assisting travellers to cross the river.
As of Monday, August 17, his body had not been recovered, with community members, relatives and personnel from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) continuing the search.
Helping travellers turns tragic
According to the deceased’s family, Yiremiah and some of his colleagues regularly assisted travellers, including Togolese nationals and people arriving from Kumasi, Accra, Bolgatanga and Tamale, to cross the river between Ghana and Togo.
The family said Yiremiah had gone about his usual activity on Sunday when he was swept away by the river.
The Tempane District Director of NADMO, George Alale Akuka, confirmed that personnel from the organisation had joined the search for the missing man.
He said the search team had covered a considerable distance along the river but had not located Yiremiah’s body as of Monday afternoon.
“So myself and my team, we are still on the ground searching for him,” he added.
Mr Akuka described the recovery operation as challenging but said the search would continue until the young man was found.
Traditional intervention
Mr Akuka also disclosed that traditional consultations had formed part of the community’s efforts to locate the missing man.
According to him, community members had consulted individuals who had previously been involved in locating victims in similar incidents.
“They consulted the one who used to consult the gods before they see the victim, so they get the direction, and we are confident that in about a few hours from now, we will get him,” he said.
He, however, stressed that NADMO personnel remained on the ground and would continue with the search and recovery efforts.
Family appeals for support
The family and residents of Tambalug have appealed to the Ghana Police Service, NADMO and other relevant authorities to provide the necessary support to recover Yiremiah’s body.
They said professional rescue personnel and appropriate equipment were needed to safely conduct the operation, particularly given the difficult conditions at the river.
Community in shock
The incident has left Yiremiah’s family and the Tambalug community devastated, especially because he was reportedly assisting travellers when he lost his life.
Residents have therefore appealed to the authorities to intensify efforts to locate and recover the body to enable the family to give him a proper burial and bring closure to the tragedy.
The search was ongoing as the family anxiously awaited news of the recovery of their son.