Politics

Lakleviekope lagoon drowning: Dzifa Gomashie calls for investigation into incident

Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament (MP) for Ketu South Constituency in the Volta Region, has called on the police to launch a full-scale investigation into the recent drowning incident on the Lakleviekope lagoon.

“While I commiserate with the affected communities, I also want to urge the ministry in charge, the Minerals Commission, and the municipal assembly to take the extremely urgent steps necessary to avert any more tragic deaths,” she noted.

Reacting to the incident, Madam Gomashie extended her condolences to the bereaved family and demanded an investigation into the matter.

Four persons, a mother and her 3 children on September 18 perished after drowning in a dyke allegedly created in the lagoon by a salt mining company in Lakleviekope in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region.

This compelled the residents to demand authorities ensure safety measures are followed by the company to prevent future occurrences and also calling on the mining company to put safety signposts along the lagoon.

“Indeed, I demand a full-scale police investigation into the present case and the publication of the report, as well as the full disclosure of same to ensure lives and property are protected.

“We are a peaceful and law-abiding people and will support and assist the state in the discharge of their duty but we will not sit aloof whilst foreign entities imperil the lives of our people,” Madam Gomashie said.

Residents of Viepe-Tokor Electoral Area in the Ketu South of the Volta Region are demanding Seven Seas Salt Limited, a mining company in the area, to stop construction of dykes for its operations.

Victor Ayaku, Assembly member for the area, during a visit to the scene said the “killer dykes must stop”, doubted whether the company had legal possession and hinted residents were planning a demonstration next week to compel the company to stop creating the dykes and the company operating in the area.

John Kuwornu, resident of Lakleviekope, lamented that happenings along the stretch were shocking and something urgent needed to be done to stop the loss of lives.

However, Adams Mensah, Public Relations Officer, Seven Seas Salt Company, explained that construction works on the dykes stalled due to rains and assured completed dykes would not have posed any danger as pits created during construction would have been sealed.

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