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Zoil collaborates with gov’t to curb disasters on Volta Lake
-as Volta Lake Transport Enhancement project begins
By Masahudu Ankiilu Kunateh, Ghanadot
Accra, Nov 12, Ghanadot - In a bid to curb the spate of
disasters on the Volta Lake as well as improve safe traveling
conditions on inland waterways, Zoil Services Limited, a
subsidiary of Zoomlion Waste Management Company is collaborating
with the government and other agencies to commence the Volta
Transport Enhancement Project.
The project which is under the theme “Promoting Safe Travel on
the Volta Lake” will involve the provision of about 10,000 life
jackets for boat operators and users.
The project will also involve the recruitment and training of
2,000 people to equip them with the capacity to monitor and
ensure that users of the lake adopt safe practices in their
activities.
Launching the project at Tapa Abotoase in the Biakoye District
of the Volta Region on Wednesday, the Public Relations Officer
of Zoomlion, Mr. Oscar Provencial in a speech read for the Zoil
Manager, Mr. Opoku Manu announced that there would be the
procurement of speed boats for patrolling the lake while
disaster response/rescue teams equipped with communication and
other disaster management logistics would be established at
vantage points along the lake.
According to Mr. Manu, “Through the implementation of this
project, it is our firm belief that a lasting and effective
solution will be found to reduce the perennial occurrence of
accidents on the Volta Lake”.
He however observed that the mechanisms and structures which
would ensure safe practices, constant patrolling of the lake,
and supervision and regulation of transport activities on the
lake seem inadequate or nonexistent.
These malpractices have often led to the occurrence of
disasters. For instance, the latest accident at Wusuta, in the
Kpando District of the Volta Region, where 20 people, mostly
women and children lost their lives, he emphasized.
Indeed, the Volta Lake was created in 1965, borders five regions
of Ghana namely, Volta, Eastern, Western, Ashanti and Central,
representing one-third the size of the country.
The lake has a total shore-line of 4,800Km and connects over 739
towns and villages along its basin.
The Deputy Minister of Transport, Mrs. Dzifa Aku Attivor, who
performed the launch on behalf of the sector Minister, Mr. Mike
Hammah noted that since the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) in
2006, the agency together with other agencies, notably the Volta
Lake Transport Company to intensify efforts at implementing a
number of lake safety measures, most of which are ongoing and
captured as part of the total lake safety action programme of
the ministry.
The GMA has in collaboration with the Ghana Navy put in place
Naval Detachment as Naval Task Force (NTFs) at six major lake
sations; namely Yeji, Dzemeni, Kpando, Torkor, Tapa Abotoase,
Dambai and Kete-Krachi to enforce safety measures including
overloading, drunkenness, use of defective boats and other human
abuses, among others, she added.
Mrs. Attivor was quick to underscore that the Authority’s Marine
Surveyors and inspectors on regular basis survey and inspect the
boats especially new entrants to mark and assign them with
loadlines whilst defective ones were banned from operations.
The Authority also has an arrangement with the Regional Maritime
University to provide skills and competency training for boat
operators and mechanics at the six major centres.
To this end, 872 operators and mechanics have been trained and
awaiting certification and licensing.
Furthermore, the GMA in collaboration with Ministry of Transport
organizes several regular educational campaigns in communities
along the lake catchments areas and produced brochures on inland
water safety code in English, Twi and Ewe for free distribution.
She announced that “The ministry is setting up a fund to embark
and implement an enhancement programme with the view to ensuring
safe and secure transportation on the Volta Lake and wish to
request the District Assemblies along the lake and other
stakeholders also to contribute into the fund.”
The programme Mrs. Attivor mentioned included the training of
the youth along the lake to serve as life guards at various
landing stations and also to provide search and rescue services,
intensify education of both operators and passengers that
patronize the lake services, and assist the boat owners to
acquire modern and safer boats.
The Minster commended Zoil for supporting the government in its
determination to make life more meaningful for the Volta Lake
communities, saying “We wholeheartedly welcome such initiative
as we consider it as a positive response to our efforts at the
creation of a just fair and egalitarian society”.
The Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, Nii Nortey Duah
indicated that
National Youth Employment Programme was collaborating with Zoil
and its partners to ensuring that the project succeeds.
He emphasized that it was part of government commitment of
providing safer transport of goods and services along the Volta
Lake.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Abiakoye thanked the
government and Zoil for undertaking project, which would further
reduce or curb the rampant rate of disasters on the lake.
Most people in the area who spoke to the paper commended Zoil
and the government for implementing project, saying “We can now
use the lake without fear”.
Meanwhile, on behalf of Zoomlion Mr. Provencial used the
occasion to present GH¢5,000 cash and 50 bags of rice to the
victims of the recent Volta Lake disaster.
Present at the launch included members of the Select
Sub-Committee on Transport and MPs of the Volta caucus in
parliament.
Ghanadot
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