The Best Fisherman in Apam in the Central region and leader of the search party that retrieved the bodies of over 13 persons who got drowned at sea on Sunday evening in Apam, Bonsu Appiah has said the deceased died because of their own “stubbornness”.
Speaking in an interview with Nana Yaa Brefo on Angel 102.9 FM in Accra on Tuesday morning, the chief fisherman stated emphatically that the deceased, who according to him most of whom are natives of the Apam Township knew very well that it was forbidden for them to swim beyond the shrine of the town’s deity, “Nana Apaah”.
“We had all agreed to the President’s directive that we should not go to the beaches; but the kids made their own path behind the shrine of our god, Nana Apaah on Sunday an went on to swim at a spot where it is forbidden for even fishermen to look for fishes”, he said.
Bonsu Appiah, who was crowned the Best Fisherman in Apam in the year 2017 added that, “it is true that, before COVID-19, we used to observe what we call ‘Sunday Special’ at the Apam Beach, which was always open to the public, but that was not where the kids got drowned; they went beyond the shrine of our deity; so it was due to their own stubbornness that this tragedy has befallen all of us”.
Meanwhile police in the Apam District have estimated that a total of 20 people might have drowned on Sunday evening; but as at Tuesday morning, only 13 bodies had been found and deposited at the Apam Government Hospital morgue.
According to the District Police Commander, DSP Moses Osakonor, the children were drowned by a heavy tide that arose on the sea at the time that they were swimming, because they were unable to control it and swim to safety; the carnage happened around 5 PM on Sunday.
But the townsfolk and the officers of the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) in the Central region say it is difficult to determine the total number of persons who perished in the carnage as rescue efforts continue.
Central Regional Coordinator of NADMO, Joe Donkor told Nana Yaa Brefo that he expects government to intervene in the burial of the victims.