At the Eastern Naval Base in Tema New Town, a total of 500 trained lifeguards were handed out yesterday.
The trained lifeguards, who are recruited from nine areas around the nation and include both males and females, will be deployed to save lives on Ghana's aquatic bodies.
The Volta Lake Transport Safety Project (VLTSP), a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) between the Ministry of Transport and Ecozoil, a subsidiary of the Jospong Group of Companies, made the Basic Water Safety and Life Guard Training Course feasible (JGC).
The course was divided into two sections, the first of which began on February 11th and ran for six weeks. Mr. Prosper Kofi Abochie, a lifeguard operator, was named the Overall Best Trainee and awarded a Special Certificate of Commendation.
Mr. Abubakar Fuseini (Best Male-4th batch), Madam Augustina Agyemang (Best Female Trainee-2nd batch), Nehard Mumuni (Best Make-3rd batch), Ruth Astwei Adjetey (Best Female Trainee-3rd batch), Mr. Abubakar Fuseini (Best Male-4th batch), Madam Benedicta Eklu (Best Female-4th Batch) received Special Certificates of Commendation.
Mr. Kwaku Ofori Asiama, Minister of Transport and Guest of Honour at the ceremony, commended the lifeguard trainees and asked them to use their training abilities to save lives on the Volta Lake and other water bodies around the country.
According to him, the government would provide free life jackets to commuters on the Volta Lake as part of the scheme, as well as help educate locals near the lake.
He said, "This initiative would also generate jobs for the kids in coastal communities."
In a brief presentation, JGC Executive Chairman, Dr. Joseph Siaw Agyepong, asked the lifeguards to do all possible to make water transportation safer in the country.
He revealed that his company will supply the Ghana Navy with three high-speed boats to aid the security agency's maritime operations.
He said that the VLTSP was important because of the difficulties that transportation on the Volta Lake and other water bodies in the country faced. "There are issues with transportation on the Volta Lake, including a shortage of life jackets for commuters, overcrowding on boats, and a lack of safety instruction on the lake," he lamented.
According to him, the project aims to engage kids from villages near the Volta Lake and train them in aquatic survival and rescue operations so that commuters on the lake are safe.
"It also helps to keep the different landing spots clean, give safety instruction to both boat operators and commuters, and supply life jackets to commuters to keep them safe on the lake," he said.
The initiative, according to Dr. Siaw Agyepong, involves 40 municipal district assemblies (MDAs).
As a consequence, he expressed gratitude to the Transport Minister for his trust in his organization, which resulted in the project's renewal.
"I'd also want to thank Rear Admiral Isaah Yakubu, Chief of the Naval Staff, and Commodore Emmanuel Ayensu Kwafio, Flight Officer Commanding the Eastern Naval Command, for the lifeguard training."
"To the Ecozoil team, let us work hard to guarantee that the initiative meets its objectives so that it may become a model for other countries throughout the world to follow," he challenged the students.
Rear Admiral Isaah Yakubu, the Chief of Naval Staff, praised Dr. Siaw Agyepong for his vow to provide financial support to the military.