4 Farmers Drown At Tolon After Canoe Capsizes

The entire Galinkpegu community in the Tolon District in the Northern Region has been thrown into a state of mourning after four farmers drowned in the Golinga irrigation dam when their canoe capsized last Saturday.

They were said to have been returning from their farm when the incident occurred around 3:p.m.

The bodies, identified as Alhassan Zakaria; 40, Yakubu Danaa; 45, Alhassan Musah; 45, and Issahaku Musah, have since been retrieved and handed over to their families for burial in line with Islamic customs.

It was gathered that they were seven onboard the canoe when the accident occurred but three managed to swim ashore, leaving the four who unfortunately drowned.

Confirmation
The Tolon District Director of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Abdallah Salifu, who confirmed the incident, said that a search party, including some local folks and personnel of NADMO, searched for about 24 hours and was able to retrieve all the bodies yesterday afternoon.

Mr Salifu took the opportunity to advise canoe operators not to overload while cautioning those engaged in fishing at the dam to be careful with their fishing operations for their own safety.

Shock
The Assemblyman for the Golinga Electoral Area, Nantogmah Zakaria, in an interview, said the entire community had been thrown into a state of shock as that was the first time such a disaster had hit the area.

“We can’t understand or explain what might have caused this tragedy.

These seven men in our community went to a farm on a canoe and upon their return, the canoe capsized and three of them managed their way out, while four got drowned.

“We were able to retrieve three bodies yesterday and with the help of the NADMO rescue team, together with the local team this morning, we were able to retrieve the lifeless body of the fourth victim,” he said.

He further told the Daily Graphic that after the police had inspected the retrieved bodies, they were handed over to their families and had since been buried according to Islamic custom.

Source: Graphic Online