Apam drowning: Hawa Koomson jumps to defence of ‘disobedient’ beach goers

Fisheries and Aquaculture Minister, Mavis Hawa Koomson has berated persons who have called out and criticised the over thirteen teenagers from Apam and environs who defied President Akufo-Addo’s directive against beach visitations due to the COVID-19 to go and swim.

The Member of Parliament for Awutu Senya East who led a delegation to the Gomoa West District to visit families of the victims and commiserate with them on behalf of the President maintained that this wasn’t the time for the children to be castigated because the harm had already been done.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with GhanaWeb after meeting with the families and traditional leaders of Apam, Hawa Koomson said, “… there’s nothing we can do about it…. The harm has already been caused; we shouldn’t look at what happened. let’s console the family...”

The Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture presented an amount of GH¢10,000 to the chiefs of Apam on Wednesday, March 10, 2021, at the behest of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

This is to help retrieve the remaining bodies as well as purify the land after the rather strange event.

An amount of GH¢20,000 was given to the families of the 12 deceased persons. Out of this money, GH¢6,000 would be taken out for mortuary services.

The two survivors; 14-year-old Godfred Apretse and 15-year-old Simon Dadzie also received GH¢1,000 each.

The GH¢2,000 for the survivors was donated personally from the coffers of the fisheries minister.



Meanwhile, former President John Dramani Mahama has also donated GH¢13,000 to the families of the victims.

Madam Hawa Koomson went in the company of the Central Regional Minister-designate, Mrs Justina Marigold Assan, Coordinating Director, Mr Adjei Boahen together with officials of the Ghana Police Service, NADMO and the National Fire Service visited the scene to interact with the leadership of the fishermen on Tuesday.

So far, 13 bodies have been retrieved from the sea with the latest being on Thursday, March 11.