Parliament is set to summon Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mubarak, and Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, next week to answer urgent questions about the widespread lack of life jackets in river-dependent communities, a deficiency brought into sharp focus by the tragic deaths of seven Lawra Senior High School students.
The students drowned on June 13, 2025, while attempting to cross the Black Volta, a river that remains a crucial but dangerous transport route for many in the region.
Given the Volta River’s relevance to the tragedy, Energy Minister John Jinapor’s presence is intended to facilitate broader discussions on the safety of riverine communities along the Volta basin.
During a parliamentary session on Tuesday, June 17, Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Asiamah Amoako backed a proposal by Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor to summon the two ministers. He stressed the urgency of addressing safety gaps through emergency funding.
“If we can look at the budget of the Interior Ministry so that a certain portion of their budget will be allocated to take care of this emergency. It is very critical,” he said.
Member of Parliament for Lawra, Bede Ziedeng, also made a heartfelt appeal to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Regional Coordinating Council, and the Lawra Municipal Assembly to immediately supply life jackets to communities 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,” he stated.
Ziedeng further pledged to personally donate ten life jackets to the affected communities and called for swift legislative action to prevent future tragedies.
