Parliament has summoned the Ministers for Interior and Energy & Green Transition following the tragic drowning of seven students from Lawra Senior High School who died while attempting to cross the Black Volta on June 13.
Interior Minister Muntaka Mubarak and Energy and Green Transition Minister John Jinapor are expected to appear before the House next week to provide explanations and outline immediate interventions.
The summons follows a motion supported by Second Deputy Speaker Andrew Asiamah Amoako and moved by Majority Chief Whip Rockson-Nelson Dafeamekpor during parliamentary proceedings on Tuesday.
Amoako underscored the urgency of the matter and proposed budgetary reallocation within the Interior Ministry to fund emergency safety initiatives, particularly the provision of life jackets in riverine communities.
In an emotional address, Member of Parliament for Lawra, Bede Ziedeng, appealed to the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), the Upper West Regional Coordinating Council, and the Lawra Municipal Assembly to act swiftly to provide life-saving equipment.
The involvement of the Energy Minister, John Jinapor, aims to broaden the conversation to include long-term safety infrastructure for communities along the Volta River system, where water transport remains a daily necessity.
The tragic incident has reignited national concern over safety protocols in remote and underserved areas that rely on river crossings for transportation.
