Editorial
Volta lake tragedy: Let’s not ignore safety precautions
● Travellers on the Volta Lake should be provide enouugh life jackets
Dear Editor,
Five people including two females and three children have reportedly lost their lives when a boat conveying passengers to a funeral from Azizanya to Azizakpe in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region, capsised recently on the Volta Lake.
The boat, which was supposed to carry about 40 to 50 passengers, according to news reports, was overloaded with almost 100 passengers without life jackets.
This tragedy, I believe, could have been avoided if safety precautions were taken seriously. The boats have a required number of passengers to carry and that should not have been exceeded under any circumstance.
Although the loss is regrettable, I wonder if some of these unfortunate incidents must occur before we do or take the necessary actions.
Life jackets are designed to keep passengers from drowning in case of accidents and I believe no boat or canoe should be made to transport humans without this protective gear on board.
It is commendable that a rescue team promptly intervened to save lives and we must encourage more basic training in cardiopulmonary restitution (CPR) which is a useful lifesaving technique during emergencies.
This is not the first time we have recorded a boat disaster. In January this year, eight school children out of 220 others drowned on the lake while crossing with a canoe from Atigagome to Wayokope District Assembly Primary School.
Considering the recurring nature of these accidents, I plead with the authorities to provide more boats and canoes for residents in these catchment areas. They should also be supplied with adequate life jackets and other protective gears to save lives when the unfortunate happens.
Evelyn Naadu Borquaye,
Nungua, Accra.
The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) will administer the 2026 Basic Education Certificate Examination (BECE) in Ghana from Monday, May 4, 2026, to Monday, May 11, 2026, for both school and private candidates.
For Junior High School (JHS) students, it is a crucial evaluation that covers both core and elective areas, such as English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, French, and Ghanaian Language among others.
A total of 619,985 candidates comprising 304,273 males and 315,712 females have been registered to write this final examination for JHS students.
In order to prevent examination misconduct, which damages the legitimacy of the educational system and skews the results of student assessments, candidates are expected to follow the regulations of the examination by WAEC.
Anyone found engaging in examination misconduct will face harsh penalties under WAEC Act 719.
As a result, the Spectator is advising all candidates to be cautious of the directives and make a commitment to always act morally.
We also implore supervisors and invigilators to refrain from any wrongdoing because invigilators have found themselves in trouble in the past.
It is common to feel anxious at examination but we advise candidates not to panic during this time because if they do, their brains will not be able to recall what they have learned.
Relax and you will be able to recall the majority of the material you have studied, but if for some reason you are unable to remember do not be afraid. Leaving a question unanswered is better than receiving a sanction from WAEC due to examination misconduct.
During this time, we expect parents to help their children by providing a peaceful, distraction-free study space and making sure they eat healthily and get enough sleep.
We wish every BECE candidate all the best for the examination, including good health, mental clarity, and protection.
Dear Editor
I wish to use your esteemed platform to welcome Mr Carlos Queiroz, our new coach for our senior national male football team, the Black Stars.
We have read a lot about him and I think looking at his CV, he represents our biggest ‘catch’ in this business.
When his name came up initially, some of us doubted whether we could land him considering our scarce resources.
A coach with experiences with Real Madrid, Manchester United at club sides and national team romance with South Africa and Iran speaks volumes of what he brings to the table.
However, we must not forget that CVs don’t play football. Football is played on the pitch and it is therefore the reason why the noise about his arrival must end and watch out for what he brings to the table.
Currently, we don’t have players we could call world class. Those that comes near that label like Mohammed Kudus and Mohammed Salisu are injured.
The only player making waves in Europe at the moment is Antoine Semenyo of Manchester City.
Carlos Queiroz is not coming as a magician. He would need players who are committed and very good enough. At this moment, we should be praying and supporting him to get the best out of our players.
Directly, I want to appeal to him to take a serious look at the players in individually and access their qualities before bringing them on board.
Some of the players are very good but have just failed or struggled to perform in the Black Stars jersey. One of his task must be to break that ice.
We need nothing bust the best for the World Cup. As Ghanaians let’s support Queiroz to get the best out of the players available.
Andy Muller,
Accra
