Disaster Looms On the Volta Basin

Authorities of the Ghana Highways, leave as it seems have not learnt any lessons from the recent disasters on the Volta Lake which resulted in the loss of property and lives of many Ghanaians.

When this reporter visited the premises of the Ghana Highway Authority on the shores of the River Basin at Ada Foah, he observed to his dismay that the ferryboats that are being used to ferry people across the river are rusty and need re-plating.

The plates beneath the boats have rusted to the extent that passengers can easily fall into the water if care is not taken.

In an attempt to take photographs, this reporter almost fell into the water as the iron bars which fenced the corridors of the upper chamber of the boats almost pulled off due to rustiness.

The other main plate, which divides the upper chamber from the lower chamber, looked more dangerous as it is supported in the air by similarly rusty bars. Since these bars are rusty and have to take the weight from the passengers who are housed in the upper chamber, it is clear that any moment from now the upper chamber would collapse into the lower chamber and probably into the river during one of its numerous trips.

According to some of the crewmembers, the boat takes a capacity of about 260 passengers which was recently increased to about 500 to enable them take care of more customers.

They explained that the boat has Sogakope, Akuse, and Anyawui including other 48 landing stages as its destinations. Passengers are charged between 2000 and 12000 old Ghana cedis.

One of the two boats has been wasting away for the past two years without repairs; as a result there is pressure on the single boat left to meet the demand of large numbers of passengers who are mostly farmers, fishermen, traders, students and tourists.

They added that even though the boats have been seeing regular engine maintenance, they have not been given any proper body works since they were bought about 15 years ago (1992).

The workers also complained that all attempts to get the authorities repair the idle boat and the one been presently used seems to have fallen on deaf ears. When they were asked whether they were not risking the lives of passengers and their own lives as crewmembers, they replied, "master (referring to the reporter), there are no available jobs in the system, when we leave here in the name of our safety, how do we feed our families?

"May be because the authorities do not go on board with us, that is why they are refusing to listen to our pleas to get the boats repaired. You know, when you are not in the soup, you don't know how hot it is", one of them explained.

They suggested that the boat needs a total re-plating to make it safe for passengers and workers alike, and the one lying idle needs urgent repairs to return to work.

The workers also raised concerns to the fact that they have not seen any improvement in their working conditions, with some of them earning as low as 500,000 old Ghana.

All attempts by this reporter to have the side of the authorities proved futile as he was told they are all out of town.