The Member of Parliament for Lawra, Hon. Bede A. Ziedeng, has expressed deep sorrow and extended heartfelt condolences to the families, staff, and students of Lawra Senior High School following the tragic drowning of seven students in the Black Volta River at Dikpe, a community along Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso.
The students believed to have drowned while attempting to cross the river, were reported missing on Saturday, sparking grief across the community and the Upper West Region.
In a statement issued on Sunday, Hon. Ziedeng said he was deeply saddened by the unfortunate disaster and extended profound condolences to the bereaved families of the students, wishing them strength during what he described as “a time of sorrow and agony.
“My thoughts and mind are with the families of the students, their fellow students, and staff. This unfortunate event, I believe, should be a wake-up call to all of us to be a bit more careful in the way we live our lives because life is unpredictable,” the MP stated.
Hon. Ziedeng cautioned students to exercise greater care when away from their homes and urged them to be guided by the saying that ‘prevention is better than cure’ by avoiding obvious dangers in life.
He noted the burden the tragedy has placed on school authorities and made an urgent appeal to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) to provide life jackets to residents of Dikpe and other riverine communities along the Black Volta who rely on boats for daily transportation.
The MP revealed plans to dispatch a delegation to the school and bereaved families to convey his sympathies in person.
“The delegation will also visit the parents where possible to express our deep condolences to them,” he added.
The incident has sparked renewed calls for improved safety measures across Ghana’s water transport zones, especially in vulnerable communities that rely heavily on river crossings.