Volta Lake Transport Now Safer

Monday May 24, 2010
By Edmund Mingle

Transport on the Volta Lake
Travelling on the Volta Lake has become safer with the increasing presence of life guards who are contributing towards safe lake transportation in the country.

The life guards, provided by Zoil Services Limited, a subsidiary of Zoomlion Ghana Limited, now constantly monitor transportation and other activities on the Volta Lake to ensure that lives and property are protected.Since last year, hundreds of lifeguards have been trained and deployed, and have successfully intervened in accident situations to save lives and goods from drowning.

Samuel Opoku Manu, Managing Director of Zoil Services, who disclosed this to newsmen, said the objective of the Volta Lake Transport Enhancement Project, under which the lifeguards were deployed, was achieving the desired results.

The Volta Lake Transport Enhancement Project was initiated by the company as its contribution to resolve the perennial accidents on the lake, he explained and stated.

"We are committed to ensuring that no life is lost should an accident happen on the lake." Zoil's lifeguards, who are present in the 739 communities along the Volta Lake , apart from rescue operations, also undertake such activities as public awareness creation against over loading and poor boat maintenance.

Mr. Opoku Manu, Managing Director of Zoil Services, briefing newsmen, said the lifeguards had so far successfully conducted a number of rescue operations.

In one of their recent operations, he said 10 life guards in a swift response, saved a driver and his two mates from drowning when their truck loaded with farm produce fell off the Dambai ferry into the lake.
After saving the three men, the lifeguards also retrieved the food items from the lake, he said, adding that their work had earned them the admiration of people in the communities.

To ensure the safety of passengers on boats, Mr Manu said the company had also been donating lifejackets to boat owners for use by available to passengers crossing the lake.In addition, he said the company had provided speed boats and communication gadgets to enable the lifeguards to operate effectively.