A recent report by the Auditor-General has revealed that the Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) spent over GHS 87 million to remove approximately 21,265 tree stumps from the Volta Lake between 2019 and 2023. The performance report, which assessed the safety of inland water transport on Volta Lake from January to March 2024, found that the project was executed by Kete Krachi Timber Recovery (KKTR) Ltd.
According to the report, the tree stump removal exercise covered five key inland waterways: Yeji–Mankango, Yeji–Awujakope, Dambai-Njare, Bridge Ano–Ntoaboma Crossing, and Agordeke. Of the 21,268 tree stumps identified by the GMA, 21,265 were removed.
However, three stumps on the Yeji–Mankango waterway were left intact due to religious reasons. The breakdown of the expenditures is as follows: In 2019, 3,553 tree stumps were identified on the Yeji-Mankango waterway, with 3,550 removed at a cost of GHS 9,587,500.
In 2020, 4,723 stumps were cleared from the Yeji-Awujakope area for GHS 11,484,306. The following year, GHS 19,971,372.96 was spent removing 10,499 stumps on the Dambai-Njare stretch. In 2022, the GMA spent GHS 13,138,488 to remove 1,179 stumps at the Bridge Ano-Ntoaboma crossing.
The highest expenditure occurred in 2023, with GHS 33,443,424 allocated to remove 1,317 stumps in the Agordeke enclave. The primary goal of the project was to enhance safety on Volta Lake, where tree stumps have been a major cause of accidents, claiming several lives over the years.
However, the Auditor-General’s report has raised concerns about the project’s effectiveness, stating that “GMA had not removed tree stumps impeding safety of navigation on the inland waterways; hence commuters are at risk of losing their lives or goods from tree stumps yet to be removed.”
The report recommended that the Ghana Maritime Authority “expedite the assessment of the Volta Lake and take steps to ensure the removal of tree stumps in the waterways to improve the safety of navigation.”
Source: classfmonline.com
