Government alleviates plight of stranded travellers around Volta Lake

The arrival of two additional ferries has brought a great relief to hundreds of passengers, drivers and traders who were stranded at the shores of the Volta Lake at Yeji, the capital of the Pru District in the Brong-Ahafo Region.

When the Ghana News Agency (GNA) went to the scene on Saturday, some of the traders, travelling to Makango in the northern part of the country, said they had stayed at the shores of the lake for almost two weeks.

Many of them who were using canopy shelters were also seen happily conveyed their goods and other belongings into the ferries berthed on the shores of the lake.

Heavy-duty articulated vehicles that cart foodstuffs and timber logs from Burkina Faso and the northern parts of Ghana to the south and other parts of the country as well as several saloon cars were also sighted being conveyed into the ferries.

Barely two weeks ago, the Yapei and Buipe bridges in the Northern Region were closed down to pave way for some rehabilitation works to be done, and since then the lake transport had remained an alternative route used by many drivers and traders.

As a result, hundreds of travellers were stranded at the lake, because only one pontoon (Akrade), which could carry less than 10 vehicles and crossed the lake thrice daily was working.

But, last Friday, the government through the Volta Lake Transport Company dispatched the Damen Ferry One from Akosombo to augment the Akradi pontoon to facilitate the lake transport system from Yeji to Makango.

More so, a team of technical engineers from the Volta Lake Transport at the weekend successfully repaired the “Besemuna” ferry, which has been grounded since 2015.

In an interview with the GNA, stranded passengers, traders and the drivers commended the government for alleviating their plight and expressed appreciation to Mr Stephen Jalula, the Pru District Chief Executive, for his concern.

They expressed the optimism that rehabilitation works being carried on the two bridges would be completed as soon as possible to enhance economic activities in the country.