Broken Down Agordeke-Kpando Pontoon Still Not Fixed

…As Residents Resort To Rickety Canoes to Cross Lake

The Anchor, has picked up reports that, the only Pontoon, MV Akpini Princess, that ferries people, vehicles and goods across the Volta Lake from Afram Plains areas at Agordeke in the Eastern Region, to Kpando Torkor in the Volta Region, which had broken down about two months now, has still not been fixed.

Reports indicate the upper gear box of the engine, which turns the propeller, has developed fault and stopped functioning, leaving the water bus docked at the river bank, with half of its parts sunk in the river at Agordeke in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District.

The situation, has affected scores of commuters struggling to cross the lake with their goods to their destinations, leaving several foodstuffs stuck at the Afram Plains areas, known to be the hub of farm gate produce.

The development, has also forced travelers, particularly women and children with no option, than resort to crossing the lake with rickety canoes, with or without life jackets, thereby putting their lives at risk.

As at yesterday, reports say engineers, have not been able to fix the fault on the broken-down pontoon, which purportedly became defective since September this year.

Freelance journalist, Edem Srem Sai, yesterday also posted a video and pictures of a heavily loaded boat with passengers and goods, showing the harrowing situation of how women and children, are risking their lives to cross the late.

He posted with a caption, “Now this is how passengers travel on the boat from Afram Plains Agordeke to Kpando Torkor endangering their lives due to broken down pontoon. Passengers include babies, toddlers and teens”.

Some of the passengers, speaking with the journalist, pleaded with authorities to fix the pontoon for early, before the storm, which often occur on the lake, resulting in accidents begin.

“It won’t be long the wind will start and we cannot travel with the boat again, so they should have  mercy on us and fix the problem for us,” one elderly woman pleaded.

Another passenger also remarked, “They should help fix the Pontoon for us. This Pontoon has broken down for long. We believe the Pontoon is for the State and those of us who travel on this lake whenever the wind or storm blows, are suffering”.

It is, however, unclear the action, the operators of the Agordeke-Kpando Torkor water bus, are taking to ensure the ferry returns to full operation to save lives and properties, given that crossing the river with Pontoon remains the only safest means of transport for the people.

Source: Anchorghana.com