The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has condemned the use of fishing canoes to transport passengers, describing the act as “reckless and dangerous.”
The warning follows a video shared on social media showing market women being ferried in a fishing canoe to the Anyanui market in the Volta Region.
In a statement issued on Friday, November 7, the Ghana Maritime Authority said the incident demonstrates a “clear disregard for safety regulations and a reckless endangerment of human life,” particularly in light of the recent canoe accident on the Volta Lake in the Oti Region that claimed 16 lives.
The GMA stressed that fishing boats and canoes are certified solely for fishing purposes and are strictly prohibited from being used for commercial passenger transport.
It further reminded the public that the use of certified life jackets is mandatory for all persons aboard any vessel or canoe, regardless of the distance of travel.
“The video suggests a complete failure to observe this non-negotiable safety standard,” the Authority stated.
The GMA reaffirmed its commitment to ensuring safety on Ghana’s waterways and called for stronger collaboration from coastal and inland communities.
“We urge people living along water transport routes, as well as community leaders, to support the GMA’s agenda of compliance and safe water transport,” the statement added.
Ghana Maritime Authority cautions against use of fishing vessels for passenger transport https://t.co/NAWFMlHKzA pic.twitter.com/dSkLnII7Zi
— DailyGraphic GraphicOnline (@Graphicgh) November 8, 2025
