Time to revive Ada–anyanui lower volta ferry route to boost tourism in the volta region

Felix Xedra Agbenyo.

Volta Region, Ho

Two ways lead to the lower Volta Region extreme south. One of the ways is connected by the Sokpoe–Sogakofe lower Volta bridge built by two German contractors; Allgemeine Baugesellschaft Lenz and Co and Held & Franckie between 1963 and1965 but commissioned by Gen. Ankra; leader of NLC in 1967. The other route to the Volta region is from Ada–Foa across the Volta estuary to Anyanui–torkor; east of the Anloga municipality.

This route is just about 7km long and takes just about 45minutes each by outboard motor to and from.  The landscape offers a very spectacular, refreshing and connection to nature. The green scene offered by the mangrove on your left from Ada and the golden sandy river banks on your right is memorial.

During the late 1980s to 1990S, there was a pontoon that transport market women and traders to and from Anyanui and Ada. Our lack of vision and maintenance culture as a nation grounded the ferries. The economic life line between Ada and Anyanui was severed. Traders couldn’t cope with nearly 75km travel to Ada by road and transport cost. It is about 40km from Anloga to Sogakofe and 15km from Sogakorfe to Kassie and 15km from Kassie to Ada Foa. Tell me who does that? Obviously, it doesn’t make business sense. Some who dares took the small wooden carpenters made boats perished. May their adventurous souls rest in a very perfect peace!

Then, tourism business and the economic so demanding as today wasn’t there. The hotels and glamorous holiday homes by the Volta River and the estuary by the societal elites wasn’t there.

This year’s Tortsogbeza activities of the good people of Sokpoe in the South Tornu municipality of the Volta region has sent an alarm demanding the revival of the Ada–Foa–Anyanui river routes. The Tema–Aflao highway wasn’t just blocked but was virtually rendered unmotorable. The 650 meters lower Volta River bridge was choked plus nearly half a km extra choke at both sides of the bridge taking travelers about 3 hours to cross the bridge.

Those who don’t know about the Tortsogbe festival of the people of Sokpoe and weren’t on hurry had the chance to watch the activities both in the river and on the river banks.

Food venders had a field day. As usual, the fluffy tsimebolo and fried shrimps was available, fired clam; popularly known as adordi, fried yam and choffy or turkey tail, known in Ewe as dokugbi shouted their presence from the sieves. Demand short changed supply on One mouth thousand and abolo last weenkend at Sokpoe and Sogakorfe. The essence of festivals;local economic boost was established.

From the bridge offers the best view to watch spectacles of the Tortsogbe festival. So,some people parked their vehicles on the bridge including those trapped in traffic on the bridge. That is very disastrous, you know? The bridge could lose its integrity and handover our joy to the devil. Saved by grace, organizers ought to avoid this from now on. Evil won’t spare us twice!

Easter celebration and its accompanying tourism boom is from year in year out especially along the coast growing from strength to strength. Norvikporgbe–za by the people of Kedzi–Agorta led the blaze as far back as 1950s. Far away East of Kedzi was Dzita in the 1980s and our Vice Prez. Prof. Naana Jane Opoku–Agyemang was at Norvikporgbe–za at Kedzi–Agorta,2026 some and was installed Mama Ngorgbe–Za.

Currently, every community in the Volta region is celebrating Easter in grand styles. All parts of our economy benefits from Easter celebration in the Volta region happens.

What is the challenge that has to be dealt with now is road and its accompanying traffics. It took travelers to the Volta region this year for the Easter festivity precious 6 hours to travel from Accra –Tudu alone to Dawhenya then another 3hours from Vume to Sogakofe. That is about 9hours to travel 165km. This doesn’t make any business sense at all.

Whiles the fears of some of the possible attendees that they may be trapped in traffic as indicated during weekends on this road has been justified, there is the fear that more may not want to celebrate the Easter in the Volta region again.

The worse of it all is why drivers were increasing their fares. Passengers were charged ghc100 instead of ghc60 from Tema Roundabout to Keta and Aflao.

The opening of the Ada Foa –Anyanui route with new pontoons and other more secure systems will ease tensions on the Tema–Aflao highways. It will shorten the travelling time for those going to the coaster towns especially Anyanui, Agbledomi, Dzita, Atorkor, Srogbe, Wuti, Anloga and Even Aflao shorter by nearly 72km less. Transport jobs shall also be created and the enclave will also be opened for more tourism patronage and investments.

Whilst travelling by water is cheaper and secured than air and road, Ghana has not paid attentions to the water transport sector over the years. Many communities along the water bodies use the rivers and the lakes as their medium of transport but in their native and risky small wooden boats. The few government owned and manned ones have grounded and even disappeared from their baths.

Once upon a time, Ghana has ferries from Ada–Foa– Sogakorfe–Adzidome–Bator–Dorfor to Akuse that was fueling businesses along those routes. The last time I saw a ferry on the lower Volta River for commercial purpose was in 2017 from Ada–Foa to Dorfor–Gborkpo in the North Tornu district towards Volivo, Asutuare and Akuse. Even that, it was rickety and environmentally dangerous smoky.

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