One hundred and ten trainees have undergone a two-week intensive life saving training at the Eastern Naval Command to help save lives and property on the lake. The training, a component of the Volta Lake Enhancement Project, focussed on basic life saving programmes such as boat work, survival drill, toot drill, life saving skills, voice communication and physical education. The programme was put together by Zoil Services Limited, a subsidiary of waste management company Zoomlion, in collaboration with the Ministry of Transport, with support from the Ghana Navy, Ghana Maritime Authority, Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority and the Ministry of Tourism, among others. The trainees, drawn from the Northern, Volta, Eastern, Brong Ahafo, Western and the Greater Accra regions were made up of 30 females and 81 males. Addressing the passing out ceremony at Tema, the Deputy Transport Minister, Mrs Dzifa Attivor, said the deployment of life guards on the Volta Lake under the Volta Lake Transport Enhancement Project has significantly reduced incidents of boat disasters in the country. According to Mrs Attivor, the commencement of the project has ensured absolute safety of inland watercourses. She commended partner agencies and the Parliamentary select committee on youth and transport for ensuring a smooth realisation of the programme. Mrs Attivor charged the graduates to ensure total commitment and prove themselves worthy of calling. She noted that as a major stakeholder in the transport business, the Ministry considered human resource development as a key factor aimed at achieving government's development goals, "hence our commitment to improve transportation on the lake to satisfactorily serve the communities towards the enhancement of their social, economic and cultural activities." The General Manager of Zoil Services, Mr Samuel Alex Opoku-Manu, noted that frequent boat disasters on inland watercourses necessitated the introduction of the programme with the objective to addressing such disasters. He explained that the mechanism and structures had been developed to ensure constant patrolling on the lake, supervision and regulation of boat operators were also taken Source: Daily Graphic