Imagine risking your life every time you need to travel to work, sell your goods, or visit family. This is the grim reality for residents of Afram Plains, who are now cut off from the rest of the world due to a broken ferry on Volta Lake. For over a month, the Agordeke Ferry, their lifeline to the mainland, has been out of commission, leaving them stranded and terrified.
Chiefs, residents, and traders from Agodeke and surrounding farming communities in the Afram Plains North District are sounding the alarm. They’ve issued an urgent plea to the government and the Volta Lake Transport Company to either repair or replace the ferry immediately. But here's where it gets even more alarming: with no other safe options, people are forced to rely on rickety wooden boats and canoes to cross the 23 nautical miles from Agordeke to Kpando—often without life jackets. It’s a recipe for disaster, and locals say they’re living in constant fear for their lives.
Afram Plains isn’t just any region—it’s a vital food basket for Ghana. The area’s fertile lands support year-round farming, driving the nation’s economy. Yet, the breakdown of the only safe and reliable transport link has left farmers, traders, and residents in limbo. Goods are piling up, livelihoods are at stake, and the economic ripple effects are already being felt.
But this isn’t just about economics—it’s about human lives. The memory of April 5, 1995, still haunts the community. On that tragic day, a passenger boat capsized on the same Agordeke to Kpando route, claiming the lives of approximately 140 people. To honor the victims and prevent history from repeating itself, the Concerned Citizens of Kwahu Afram Plains North recently held a press conference after visiting the graveyard where the victims are buried. Their message is clear: urgent action is needed to avert another catastrophe.
“It’s heartbreaking that the ferry’s engine has been broken for over a month now,” one resident shared. “We’re appealing to the government to fix it immediately—we travel in fear every single day.” And this is the part most people miss: the ferry, commissioned in 2016 by President John Dramani Mahama, was once the safest mode of transport in the area, ferrying farm produce and goods across the lake. Now, its breakdown has left the community vulnerable and desperate.
Here’s where it gets controversial: While locals are calling on President Mahama to intervene, as he was the one who provided the ferry, others argue that the government’s broader neglect of infrastructure in the region is the real issue. Is this a one-time failure, or a symptom of a larger problem? We’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments.
Nana Akuamoah Boateng Tano II, the Chief of Donkorkrom No.1, echoed the community’s plea: “We beg President Mahama to come to our aid—he gave us this ferry, and now we need his help to restore it.”
The clock is ticking. With lives and livelihoods at stake, the question remains: Will the government act before it’s too late? And more importantly, what steps should be taken to ensure such a crisis never happens again? Let’s start the conversation.
