National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in collaboration with KNUST-SPH and Lower Manya Krobo Municipal Assembly on Thursday 25th July, 2024 celebrated the World Drowning Day at Amedaka a suburb of Akuse in the Lower Manya Krobo Municipality.
Speaking under the program Mr. Saviour Kweku Woanya a staff of NADMO welcomed the participants and thanked them for making time to be part of the program despite their busy schedule. He said the rate at which people are drowning is been alarming and there is the need to prevent it, hence the gathering.
Mr. Zachariah Adams Municipal Director of NADMO in his speech indicated that 25th July, every year is set aside to celebrate the World Drowning Day for which reason the gathering. He thanked the organizers for choosing his Municipality for the celebration.
Mr. Zachariah continue and mention some of the causes of the incident as excessive drinking while navigating, overconfidence in swimming among others. Throwing more light on the overview of the program, Dr. Bertha Kusimi stated that this is the third time the event is celebrated in Ghana. She said an estimate of Two Hundred and Thirty-Six Thousand (236,000) people died globally as a result of drowning which is very alarming. Dr. Kusimi mention some major risks factors identify as children between the age of One-Five (1-5). On the issue of gender she indicated that males are more of the victims than Females and fisher folks are riskier to the incident than anyone else. She attributed the occurrences of the incident as people not adhering to precautionary measures.
Commenting on the theme of the program ANYONE CAN DROWN NO ONE SHOULD the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) Hon. Simon Kweku Tetteh pleaded to the residence of the area to take the precautionary measures seriously to avoid the occurrences of the incident. To avert the happening the MCE had procured life Jacket to be distributed to the people of the area to wear whenever they have something to do with the river.
Hon. Tetteh advice parents of the area to take good care of their
children since they are the most vulnerable when it comes to drowning. He asked the NADMO staff and other stakeholders to continually educate the public on the subject matter.
He took the opportunity and asked the people of Amedaka to vote for him to become Member of Parliament for the Constituency in coming December 7th poll.
By: Abraham Tettey Wayo MIO: Lower Manya Krobo.