A major source of livelihood for many inhabitants, from time immemorial, within its catchment area had been the Volta Lake, the biggest man-made lake in West Africa. The lake, which plays host to the Akosombo hydro electrical dam, in the Eastern Region, equally provides the most important and reliable source of power supply to the nation and some neighbours as well. The construction of the dam, in the early days of the Nkrumah administration, has affected the lifestyle of many communities, some extinct, through the devastation the trapped waters of the dam left in its wake on homes and farmlands. Of course every project comes with its social cost and its social benefits as well.
Lately, portions of the Volta Lake has been in the news, not for its tourist potentials, electric generation capacity or its buoyant fishing industry but rather for the numerous boat accidents that claim the lives of many productive lives leaving many families wrecked and broken. Women and children bear the brunt of the devastation.
The problems associated with water transport on the Volta Lake, I believe has been belaboured in many documentaries, newspaper publications and academic materials but the outstanding question till this moment is, what has been done over the years to reduce the tragic effects that each accident bring to many hearts in the country? A common phrase that runs the mouth of many politicians over and over at any public gathering or press conference is the unending liturgy of “this government is committed to improving one situation or the other” while this so-called commitment has never been demonstrated over the years.
The recent disaster on the Lake that claimed over twenty (20) lives should not be treated as just another accident but rather a call on the new government to demonstrate her commitment to the many inhabitants along the banks of the lake including school children and their teachers; who use canoes to crisscross the lake in pursuit of basic education, doctors, traders, fishermen, travellers and all other who also use the various landing sites dotted along the banks of the lake.
It is sickening that just after lavishly celebrating fifty (50) years of Independence on an unprecedented million-dollar budget, Ghana should still go a begging for funds for the provision of basic needs that ensures the daily safety and survival of the minority in society.
Hope might be in sight in coming months especially in dealing with the annual accidents on the Volta Lake.
Foremost, the Ministry of Transport and a Dutch logging company specialized in underwater logging have collaborated to initiate an “Under water Logging” project on the lake. This concept is very new in this country. The idea being uprooting and removing all tree stumps, roots and logs that have been trapped on the basin of the river for export. Maybe our government and private individuals could device good use of these underground logs after they have been harvested, for the local industry. If it is possible, the Electricity Company of Ghana could find good use of these logs for transmission poles instead of over depending on our dwindling forests resources for the erection of transmission poles.
A direct benefit of underwater logging to the people who use the lake for various purposes, is the relief from the threats these tree stumps, fallen logs and twisted roots pose to the nets of fishermen, propellers of pontoons and outboard motors and those who use the river especially at night. The basin of the lake would be cleared of any foreign material that is likely to obstruct passenger boats and ferries thus causing tragic accidents on the lake.
Government via the Ministry of Transport has assured the citizens that they are in league with the Ghana Navy to form a Patrol Task Force on the Lake. This task force, I believe, will be engaged in rescue operations among other duties as and when the need arise. The challenge I envisage however, is an injection of capital expenditure in the procurement of expensive an non available logistical supplies for the Naval Task Force as they will seek to perform this new duty which is at variance with their traditional role. It is important for the Navy to set up a camp at a vantage point on lake that could connect the various landing sites. This camp should be provided with communication gadgets that would make them easily accessible to respond to emergency situations.
Additionally, the Ministry must focus some attention in this area of transportation just as they have done over the years in the roads, rail and aviation sectors. Now that the Minister of Transport has hinted that they have formed a task force to ensure safety and security on the lake, it is most important for the task force to begin serious sensitization, education and public relations exercise to educate users of the lake on safety measures, best practices and modern ways of avoiding accidents, rescue operations, first aid treatment and any other relevant practise that is needed to ensure safety and security of the users of the services and potentials the Lake offers.
As prelude to many other initiatives to be taken by the central government, Zoil Ghana Limited has gone out of their way to provide life jackets and lifebuoys to the Ministry of Transport and the Canoe owners Association on the lake for the use of passengers. To this exploit, I congratulate, Mr. Oscar Provincal and his team for the far sight in providing immediate solutions to the problems bedevilling water transport on the Lake.
It has been revealed that only one (1) out of four (4) pontoons on the lake is functioning. The Vice President, John Mahama , promised the delivery of a new engine for on of the pontoons by December this year to get it back to bay. This will be very critical to ease pressure on the only surviving pontoon and the risk of it breaking down under pressure. Getting all four (4) pontoons back to work, consequently, will help improve the solutions to the problems on the lake and also ease cost to many users as many more goods and services will be rendered in less time on the lake.
The extent of indiscipline among operators of boats and canoes on the lake should be addressed immediately. We have seen footages of evidence of overloading, over speeding, among other indiscipline acts on the lake, but nobody seem to care about dealing with the situation until another disaster strikes. How come the police stationed in these areas are indifferent to the situation? It is a case of the perpetrators of these indiscipline acts compromise the law enforcement authority thereby rendering impotent in dealing with the situation? In any case, how come the police would not attach the same level of commitment and seriousness that the Motor, Traffic and Transport Unit of the Ghana Police Service attach to road users? It is about time wrong doers, whose pursuit of their selfish interest plunge passengers into accidents, are dealt with in accordance with the laws of the land. Such cases must be dealt with as clear instances of murder and not mere boat accidents.
To this end, the Ministry of Transport and the Ghana Police Service must set aside days on their annual calendar to go round the major landing sites in the country to do serious public sensitization, education and engagements just as what pertains with the National Road safety Commission. Government could equally establish a commission for water transport to give them the needed mandate to deal with issues pertaining to water transport safety and security in totality.
As a society with strong traditional beliefs, it is important that we do not forget customs and traditional practices that are associated with these rivers and lakes as custom demands in settling the cultural twist to these accidents. Of course the Chief of the one of the towns badly hit by the accident lamented bitterly about the wanton disregard for the traditional practices associated with the Lake. According to him, customs does not allow the use of some portions of the lake for human activities on some days and coincidentally the day in question was the same day the accident occurred. He advised a return to the performance of those practices to pacify the gods of the lake to ensure safety. These cultural and religious underpinnings cannot be ignored.
One area of attention is the need for authorization and inspection and insurance cover before boats, ferries and pontoons are allowed to commence business on the lake. The National Insurance Authority should consider this as an important element in ensuring security on the rivers, lakes and other water bodies in the country, if this is not already in place. If boat owners and transport operators are made to pay insurance premiums annually, they will be more conscious of what they do with their boats and the cost to their passengers.
We need to join the crusade to ensure safety and security on our rivers, lakes and lagoons for these traditional sources of transport are still relevant today in many other countries as it provides cheaper and faster means of cutting goods and people from on island community to the other.
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