Senegal 
Senegalese ferry victims to get compensation

afrol News, 3 February - Senegalese Prime Minister Idrissa Seck today announced the Joola ferry accident will have further economical and political consequences. The government has decided to give an economic compensation to the families of the estimated 1865 lives claimed in the ferry disaster in September last year.

There would also be take legal action against those possibly responsible for the "biggest accident in the maritime history of Senegal," Prime Minister Seck promised. Mr Seck's predecessor, Mame Madior Boye, had to step down in November last year because the President held she was not handling the crisis well.

Mr Seck today announced his government would "take on responsibility for the compensations for the families after the sinking of the Joola ferry" off the coast of The Gambia on 26 September last year. According to the Prime Minister, the Senegalese Ministries of Justice, Interior and Economy and Solidarity would have to cover the expenses.

There however remain many uncertainties around the compensation and the amount to be paid. Even the exact number of lives lost - which now officially is set at 1865 - remains disputed. Originally, the government had announced there had been 1100 deaths. According to new government information, there still needs to be done investigations on 450 of these victims, as they had not been registered as passengers on the ferry.

Also the political consequences in the aftermath of the disaster are continuing. After the forced departure of Ms Boye's government - at least partly due to the accident - the new executive is set to prosecute those responsible, if necessary including ex-ministers. Prime Minister Seck promised the legal proceedings would be started immediately.

Meanwhile, the Dakar government seems to have forgotten that President Abdoulaye Wade himself took on the "total responsibility" for the accident as soon as it was understood that the sinking of the state-owned Joola ferry was due to a too heavy cargo and an insufficient control with the cargo. Mr Wade in October said government "takes on total responsibility and orders a complete investigation about the accident."

President Wade at this stage also admitted the ferry had originally been constructed for traffic in smooth, coastal waters, not in the high seas, where the accident occurred. The ferry was overloaded with cargo and passengers; the extra passengers (probably 450 persons) not being registered at entry.

In general, the majority of the Joola passengers used to be small-scale traders trafficking between Dakar and the southern provincial capital of Casamance, Ziguinchor. The Joola was reputed for prices more reasonable than overland alternatives, especially for those carrying much weight. Weight control of the luggage was uncommon.

 

Sources: Based on Senegalese govt and press and afrol archives

 

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