The District Chief Executive for Sene East, Kofi Gyimah says plans are underway to provide life jackets for every school-going child within the Atikagome community.

The assurance comes after eight pupils from the community in the Bono East Region died after a boat they were travelling in to school capsized on the Volta lake.

The deceased were among 20 pupils who were travelling to school from Atikagome to Wayokope when the incident occurred midway into the journey.

During a visit to the community with the Bono East Regional Minister and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) of Sene East, the District Chief Executive for Sene East, Kofi Gyimah, disclosed that it is officially writing to the Ghana Education Service to make life vests available to children in the community.

“It’s shocking… This is one of the incidents that keep occurring, so we have decided to liaise with the Ministry of Education to get life jackets for them [pupils]. And also sensitise the community to utilise life jackets,” the DCE for Sene East assured.

Education think tank, Africa Education Watch (EduWatch) in a statement on January 25, 2023, called on the government to as a matter of necessity, make life jackets available to all schools in districts with water transportation.

Making the demands, EduWatch said life jackets must be made available for anyone having to cross water bodies, especially school children.