Company cutting logs in Volta Lake attacked by locals; fold up

Information reaching GhanaWeb indicates that a company contracted in 2011 to cut logs in the Volta Lake which has killed hundreds of people over the years are folding up as a result of resistance by locals.

Clarke Sustainable Resources Developments (CSRD) and Triton Logging were implementing the commercial phase of the 2006 Volta Lake Timber Project of the VRA which entails timber salvage and processing operation to enhance river transport, reduce accidents, and frequent loss of life on the lake while creating employment opportunities for the youth through the processing of an estimated 2.8 billion dollar timber resource locked up under the lake.

Unconfirmed information from a source indicates that villagers by the Volta Lake "attacked the company workers on the lake disallowing them from cutting the logs because they [villagers] use the logs with bamboos to tie their nets to fish" which is illegal.

The source revealed that the Canadian company, CSRD, laid their workers off on 4th September 2013 waiting on Government to settle the issue but nothing was done about it.

"Now CSRD is disconnecting their machines and equipment away because the government did not solve the issue.

"Their counterparts from Canada will complete the disconnection by December at their site located at the Yaniama Junction to Sedorm on the Akosombo-Gyakiti Road", the source directed.

We understand CSRD had imported for the project a barge together with SHARC which weighs 400,000 pounds and prevents fluid leakages which is contained within the barge.

Also to ensure safety of the lake in an environmentally friendly manner, the company uses biodegradable oil.