Ghana's bilateral relation with Vietnam to ensure useful seismic equipment

Accra July 22, GNA- Ghana's relationship with the Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation (CTBTO) is to ensure seismic monitoring equipment useful for recommendations on earthquake safety measures.

Ms Sherry Ayittey, Minister for Environment Science and Technology, who said this on Wednesday, noted that the pact would be beneficial to Ghanaians living in earthquake prone areas to know more about earthquakes and earth tremors.

The Minister, who was answering questions in Parliament, said the Ghana Comprehensive Nuclear Test-Ban Treaty Organisation National Data Centre (GH-CTBTO NDC), was commissioned on February 3, 2010 to monitor and coordinate both natural and manmade seismic activities within the country and around the globe.

She said the Centre would make recommendation to government agencies on earthquake safety measures and report on all aspects of disasters related to seismic to relevant government agencies.

Ms Ayittey said the Centre would make data available for earthquake disaster mitigation, upload seismic data from the International Data Centre (IDC) as well as receive seismic data from the IDC in Vietnam to provide information for government agencies to develop land and building policies for the country.

In addition she noted that the Centre in collaboration with the Geological Survey Department in Ghana, the universities and other stakeholders, would educate Ghanaians on the dos and don'ts before during and after earthquakes.

She said one such educational measure was the lecture organised in March 2010, which attracted teachers, students, the media and the general public.

At such forums, she explained that, specific safety measures in the design and construction of buildings were emphasized.

"Further education is needed to correct the entrenched misconception among people about tremors.

"To prevent the loss of lives and property, the Ministry has prepared a draft Land Use and Planning Law to be submitted to parliament to become bill," she said.