A 41-year-old woman and three children drowned in a hole dug at Keta Lagoon in Laklevikope near Aflao in Ketu South Municipality.
The incident happened on Saturday when Madam Yawa Apenu was fishing with Bridget Amewu, 14, and Daddy Amewu, 10 – their children and their third child, 8-year-old Sitsofe Ahiawor.
Mr. Atitso Amewu, a widow who was said to be on the expedition, managed to swim to safety.
Some residents who spoke to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) said they suspected the pit was dug by Seven Seas Salt Limited, which has an unfinished stake in its concessions in the area.
However, the company denied the claim.
In July, two people reportedly drowned in that part of the lagoon while trying to catch fish.
The Member of Assembly for the area, Mr. Victor Ayaku, said in an interview with the GNA after the incident:
“There’s no form of protection around the dikes, no demarcation, and it’s almost like a death trap for unsuspecting residents who might want to go fishing in the lagoon.”
But the Public Relations Officer of Seven Seas Salt Limited, Mr Adams Mensah, said the company was not to blame for Saturday’s disaster.
He said the pit was outside the company’s concession and that it was a fish pond owned by an individual unknown to the Company.
Expressing his condolences on the loss of life, he said that the mining company is ready to support the family of the deceased.
He called for cooperation among dozens of stakeholders, especially councilors in communities compromised by the Company, to prevent such preventable deaths.
Mr Mensah said that while the Company had put up road signs about the danger, it would start its concessions from Monday to protect people and fishermen from the deep holes, while also running awareness campaigns.
According to him, people can use rods to check the depth of water while fishing to avoid disasters because some individuals had fish ponds in the lagoon.
Meanwhile, a Police source who confirmed the incident to GNA said the bodies have been handed over to the morgue, a meeting has been arranged with the family of the deceased to assist investigations.