Dambai Volta ferry crossing

The Dambai ferry crossing is a cross-lake ferry service run by the Volta Lake Transport Company Limited (VLTC) across the Oti River, part of Volta Lake, at Dambai in the Krachi East Municipality of Ghana's Oti Region. Dambai is the municipal and regional capital, and the crossing links the town with the opposite bank; VLTC lists the route as Dambai–Overbank, while news reports describe it as running between Dambai and Dordoe-Korpe.

VLTC places Dambai among its five cross-ferry locations, alongside Adawso, Yeji, Kete-Krachi and Agordeke. The company describes the service as a social responsibility of the Government of Ghana toward communities cut off after construction of the Volta Dam and the creation of the lake, and states that tariffs have never covered operating and depreciation costs. VLTC's own listing gives the crossing a stated duration of 30 minutes, served by MV Senchi and Buipe Queen.

For a visitor, this is a working transport link rather than a leisure cruise. The ferry carries both passengers and vehicles, with a vehicle deck and ramp, a passenger seating area, and a wheelhouse or navigating bridge. VLTC safety rules prohibit passengers from the navigating bridge, engine room, vehicle deck and ramp while underway, and ban drinking, smoking, sitting on rails, and swimming or diving from the ferry. GBC reporting describes the ferry as more stable than the wooden engine boats that also work the route, and notes that life jackets were not offered to passengers on those boats.

The crossing matters as a corridor for passengers, vehicles and traders moving between southern Ghana and the Oti and northern areas. GBC reported roughly 20,000 people crossing this stretch of the lake each month, and the service has been repeatedly disrupted by mechanical faults. A 1.5 km bridge over the Oti River at Dambai is under construction to replace the ferry crossing.

Practical details are limited. A passenger fare of GH¢7 per crossing was reported in April 2026, raised from GH¢4, drawing opposition from commuters and the Dambai Central assembly member; vehicle fares were not found. VLTC's eTicketing site lists phone 0342-291-949 and an email contact, but no dedicated Dambai ferry office number. Schedules, opening hours and exact coordinates are not published in the available sources, so travellers should confirm times and fares directly with the operator before relying on the crossing.