President John Mahama has announced the deployment of ferries to augment the fleet at the Volta Lake Transport Company.

The president's announcement comes at a time when concerns have been raised about the poor state of ferries at the Volta Lake Company.

Last week a ferry carrying over 500 passengers, most of whom were market women, nearly sank, barely an hour after moving from Makango in the Northern Region to Yeji in the Volta Region.

But for the swift intervention of the Ghana Navy which provided three boats to rescue the trapped passengers, a national disaster would have been recorded.

The Member of Parliament for Pru East Dr Kwabena Donkor has called for an investigation into the near fatal accident.  He blamed the Company for negligence.

He said he saw the ferry in a poor state and drew the attention of the managers of the company but wondered why the ferry was allowed to carry passengers.

The ferry has since been parked, a situation which has left the residents in the area to make do with smaller boats operated by private individuals.

However, out of fear of accidents and possible loss of life, the residents living around the Volta Lake are reluctant in boarding boats operating on the lake.

Joy News is learning that residents within the Volta Lake catchment area especially Yeji and its environs appear cut off due to the absence of the Ferry.

A resident in the area, Daniel Takyi told Joy News foodstuff and other goods meant for transportation are going bad. He said the low level of the lake has heightened their fear for possible accidents on the lake in a smaller boat.

President John Mahama in commiserating with the families who lost their loved ones in the Kintampo accident  said the government will be deploying two ferries to avert a possible lake disaster.

The new ferries are to enhance safety of ferry transport in an area that has gained notoriety for accidents on the lake.

"We also had a near disaster with a ferry crossing Yeji. We believe that we should take the safety of our ferries...We have new ferries that I have asked to be deployed so that we can be sure that our people can be safe and secure when they are crisscrossing the country," the president said.

Ferry transport is the most popular form of transport for resident living at Makango in the Northern Region, Afram Plains, Yeji in the Volta Region.

Meanwhile the Pru MCE, Emmanuel Opoku says his outfit is taking the issue of lake accidents very seriously and has provided some life jackets to users of private boats.