GMA commissions 200 Safety Guards, launches life jacket campaign

By Buertey Francis BORYOR

 The Ghana Maritime Authority (GMA) has commissioned 200 Inland Water Safety Guards and launched a Life Jacket for Safety and Livelihood Initiative as part of efforts to reduce preventable deaths on the country’s inland waterways.

Speaking at the launch in Accra, Minister of Transport Joseph Bukari Nikpe said the initiative formed part of efforts to improve safety on inland waterways and prevent avoidable deaths among communities that rely on water transport. The initiative includes the deployment of 200 Safety Guards to key crossing points and the distribution of 20,000 life jackets to support enforcement of the “No Life Jacket, No Travel” policy.

Mr. Nikpe said the intervention aligns with President John Dramani Mahama’s Reset Agenda and reflects government’s commitment to protecting lives and securing livelihoods for people who depend on inland water transport.

He noted that the country’s inland waterways, including the Volta Lake and river transport networks, serve as vital links connecting farming communities to markets, school children to educational facilities and families to healthcare services. Despite their importance, he said they have been the scene of several avoidable tragedies resulting in the loss of lives.

The Minister recalled fatal incidents in communities including Saboba and Kete Krachi, stressing that government was determined to curb recurring accidents on the country’s waterways.

He said the deployment of the first batch of Safety Guards marks the beginning of a nationwide rollout aimed at promoting discipline, safety awareness and compliance with maritime regulations.

Mr. Nikpe explained that the programme adopts a three-pronged approach to improving access to life jackets. Under the arrangement, individuals can purchase life jackets at subsidised prices, rent them at minimal rates or benefit from a hybrid model that combines ownership and rental options. “The policy is no life jacket, no travel,” he said, urging the newly commissioned guards to strictly enforce the directive.

The Minister added that the Safety Guards were recruited from the communities where they will operate, a move intended to leverage their knowledge of local waterways, terrain and community dynamics.

Director-General of the Ghana Maritime Authority, Dr. Kamal-Deen Ali, described the initiative as a life-saving intervention aimed at addressing the growing number of accidents on inland waterways.

He said overloading, adverse weather conditions, the absence of life jackets and the refusal of some passengers to wear them continue to contribute significantly to fatalities on lakes and rivers across the country.

“Our inland waters are beautiful and vital to transportation and commerce, but they have also become a source of concern because of preventable accidents and loss of lives,” he said.

Dr. Ali noted that the Authority was shifting from merely acknowledging the challenges to implementing practical measures that would improve safety outcomes for communities that depend on water transport.

He disclosed that GMA has expanded its operational presence by nearly 70 percent since last year as part of efforts to strengthen regulation and safety enforcement along inland waterways and coastal areas.

According to him, the Authority has already established an Inland Water Safety Regulatory Office in Akosombo and is opening additional offices in Kete Krachi, Bamboi, Saboba, Wa, Agona, Shama and other places to improve monitoring and enforcement.

He added that plans are also underway to extend GMA’s presence along the eastern border corridor from Ada to the border with Togo.

Dr. Ali said life jackets would be made available through subsidised sales and rental schemes to ensure that cost does not become a barrier to safety. “Some life jackets could be purchased at subsidised prices while others would be available for rent at affordable rates to encourage widespread use,” he also said.

The Director-General urged boat operators to view the Safety Guards as partners rather than adversaries, stressing that the shared objective was to protect lives and improve safety standards on inland waterways.

A brief overview of the initiative indicated that 125 crossing points have so far been identified across 11 regions for deployment of the Safety Guards.

The programme, which is being implemented under the Ministry of Transport, includes the identification and training of personnel, development of operational guidelines, establishment of offices at strategic locations and sustained public education on water safety.

The Safety Guards received training with support from the Ghana Navy and are expected to ensure compliance with safety regulations, particularly the mandatory use of life jackets by passengers using inland water transport services.

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