The Gomoa West District Assembly has announced a mass funeral and subsequent burial for 13 of the 20 teenagers that are feared to have died from drowning at a beach in the area.
A statement issued by the District Chief Executive for the area, Bismark Baisie Nkum said a mass service will be organized on Tuesday the 16th of March, 2021.
“…the arrangement for the burial service is scheduled for Tuesday, March 16, 2021, at exactly 10amat St. Luke Catholic Hospital, Apam, and a mass burial will follow immediately,” the statement said.
The service it added will be restricted on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
President Akufo-Addo, through the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Mavis Hawa Koomson (MP), and the Central Regional Minister-Designate, Justina Marigold Assan, has already donated Thirty-Six Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHC36,000.00) to the Chiefs and elders of Apam and the bereaved families.
On Sunday, March 7, 2021, at about 4.30 pm, some teenagers of the District got drowned at Apam landing beach.
It is estimated that the number of children involved are about 20, however, the bodies of 13 have since been retrieved while two have been treated and discharged.
“13 dead bodies were retrieved from the sea along these coastal communities in Gomoa West District: Gomoa Abrekum, Gomoa Mankoadze and Apam. The ages of the retrieved bodies are within the range of 13 and 17. Two of them are females and 11 are males,” the statement from the District Assembly said.
It added that “two (2) of the victims were residents of Gomoa Ankamu (Apam Junction) and 11 were residents of Apam.”
It said COVID-19 restrictions that will be applied means that even the number of family members and journalists who will be allowed to attend will be skimmed.
“We also wish to bring to the attention of the general public that the incident took place at a landing beach patronized on daily basis by fisherfolks and not a beach resort as is being speculated by a section of the media. The District Security Council (DISEC) is working to ensure a greater partnership with Chief fishermen and their team of managers of the six (6) coastal communities within the District to form a Local task force at the various Landing beaches to ensure security during daily activities.”