GIDEON KWARTENG, a biometric registration officer (special duties) is feared to have drowned in the Tano River near Elubo in the Western region when a canoe he was travelling on together with 15 passengers capsized after hitting a rock.
The police have since 1:00pm on April 24 when the disaster occurred, engaged professional divers but Kwarteng’s body has not been retrieved from the river.
According to Superintendent John Ferguson Dzineku, Half Assini District Commander, six registration officials were among the 16 people including children on board the canoe powered by an outboard motor that set sail from Mpeasem towards Elubo that fateful day.
Confirming the disaster, Kwabena Asante, Jomoro District Electoral Officer said the six registration officials had spent ten days at the Alaboale Electoral Area and were returning from Mpeasem to Nsuanom towards Elubo that day.
He said some survivors of the disaster including the five other biometric registration officials narrated that when the canoe which was being powered by an outboard-motor reached a section of the river it hit a rock and capsized.
Kwarteng, a 24-year-old national service person and registration official was the only person who did not survive.
Superintendent Dzineku added that the chiefs in the area demanded some schnapps and other items to perform certain rituals which had been provided but the body of Kwarteng has still not been found.
Kwarteng is said to be a native of Bibiani in the Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai district of the Western region and a former student of Takoradi Polytechnic.
From Sam Mark Essien, Takoradi
