The Assembly member of the Teberebie Electoral Area in the Western Region drowned in the Bonsa River on Tuesday, around 1300 hours, while on his campaign tour.
Manasseh Addison Sackey, alias ‘Teacher Obour,’ who doubles as the Deputy Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Tarkwa-Nsuaem Constituency, was on his campaign tour with four persons when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Mr Francis Amoah, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) Coordinator of Tarkwa-Nsuaem Municipality, confirmed the incident to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) and said Mr Sackey, until his demise, was the headteacher of the Abomponiso Municipal Assembly School.
On Tuesday, December 5, Manasseh Sackey, who had filed his nomination to contest in the upcoming District and Unit Committee election, slated for December 19, 2023, was traveling on a canoe to Mile Ten and Half, with four friends to campaign.
Midway through the journey, the canoe they were travelling on capsized and three of them managed to
swim out of the river, but Sackey and one Abeka, the canoe rider, drowned.
Mr Amoah said all attempts to rescue the two proved futile, as residents mobilised to search for the bodies of Sackey and Abeka, but to no avail.
The residents later reported the incident to the NADMO and the Police, he said.
Mr Amoah said after the elders had performed the rituals, the body of Sackey was retrieved around 1700 hours and it had been deposited at the Tarkwa Municipal Hospital morgue for preservation and autopsy.
The search party would continue their work on Wednesday to retrieve the body of the second person, he said.
Meanwhile, a statement signed by the Constituency Secretary, Mr Stephen Ayombisa, copied to the GNA, said the NDC had suspended all party activities in the constituency and declared three days to mourn their hardworking departed colleague.
Source: Ghana News Agency