Egyptian company, Arab Cont ractors, has won a US$9.484 m illion contract to build two ferries in Ghana.
The contract includes the rehabilitation of the floating dock at the inland port of Akosombo on the Volta Lake, according to an agreement signed between the Mil l ennium Development Authority (MiDA) and Arab Contractors in Accra.
The ferries will connect Adawso on the southern shore of the lake to Ekye Amanfr om in the northern shore to enhance commercial activities in the Afram Plains.
The contract was signed by Martin Esson-Benjamin, Chief Executive of MiDA and Us ama Ibrahim Abdallah, an official of Arab Contractors.
The project, which is part of the US Millennium Challenge Account (MCA) compact programme for Ghana, is expected to be completed in 20 months.
It will also enhance the Volta Lake Company’s construction, repair and maintenan ce capabilities for ferries to save time for farmers and offer safe and reliable
access of transport.
Esson-Benjamin said the project would enlarge landing sites to increase ferry an d vehicle handling capacities.
The Volta Lake Transport system operates from the port of Akosombo, about one ho ur drive from Accra, where the Volta hydro-electric dam is situated, to Buipe an d Yapei in the north.
It is an inland waterway that transports products, cement, agricultural commodi ties and passengers. Inland water transport does not constitute a significant pa r t of Ghana’s transport system but some routes are critical to small communities,
which use small boats on some rivers. The lake has seen many fatal accidents bec a use of lack of adequate safety measure
