The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has come under review following revelations in the latest Auditor-General’s report.
The report disclosed that the GMA spent a staggering GH¢87.6 million over five years to remove tree stumps from Volta Lake, an effort aimed at improving safety for waterway commuters.
Despite the hefty expenditure, the report emphasizes that several tree stumps remain submerged in parts of the lake, posing a continued threat to steering and raising questions about the effectiveness of the project.
The project saw the removal of 21,265 tree stumps between 2019 and 2023 across several critical areas of Volta Lake, including the Yeji-Mankango, Yeji-Awujakope, and Dambai-Njare stretches. Each year recorded huge spending, with 2023 alone costing the GMA GH¢33.4 million to remove 1,317 stumps from the Agordeke enclave, the most expensive single-year effort during the project. These removals were part of a wide initiative to reduce the high incidence of boat accidents on the lake.
However, the Auditor-General’s report questioned the value for money in these operations, pointing out that the GMA had not completely addressed the hazards posed by remaining tree stumps. The report emphasized that the safety of steermanship remains compromised in some areas, endangering both lives and goods. The Auditor-General recommended that the GMA expedite efforts to fully assess and remove all tree stumps to guarantee safer waterways.
This latest development has triggered a conversation around the efficiency and transparency of public spending in Ghana. Concerns have been raised over whether the GH¢87.6 million spent so far was justified, given the persistence of dangers on the lake. The situation has put pressure on the GMA to provide more detailed explanations of the project’s implementation and the challenges that have hindered the complete removal of all tree stumps.
Moving forward, the GMA is expected to take urgent action to address these concerns and implement the recommendations provided by the Auditor-General. The safety of thousands of commuters who rely on Volta Lake for transportation and livelihood remains at stake, making this a critical issue for both the authority and the government to resolve as swiftly as possible.
