Earth tremor equipment broken down
THE country’s only Seismograph, the device used to measure and record earth tremors, has broken down.
The mishap, which was brought to the attention of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Collins Dauda, during a working visit to the Geological Services Department (GSD), has made it impossible for the country to record earth movements for the past two years.
The equipment, which was acquired in 1974 and retooled in 1992, ceased working two years ago making the country dependent on other countries to report earth movement occurrences in Ghana.
The Director of the GSD, Mr John Agyei Duodu, who took the minister round, said "at the moment when something happens in the country in terms of earth movement, we only have to rely on our partners across the world to receive data to process and confirm".
He said with the exception of the Obuasi gold deposits, the GSD had provided all the technical support for the discovery of every mineral deposit or occurrences in the country, the discovery of the sites and survey works for the construction of the Akosombo, Kpong, and Bui Dams, but in spite of this the institution had lately been bedevilled with a myriad of problems which affected its capacity to deliver.
He urged the minister to champion the process of making the GSD semi-autonomous to be able to make the institution more efficient, competitive and financially independent.
He said the GSD in collaboration with the German Geological Survey would launch a new Digital Geographical Map of the country in February to enhance survey.
He appealed to the minister to facilitate the purchase of a Digital Seismic (Earthquake) Equipment, which acquisition proposal had been routed through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
He said the components of the facility, which would be sited at Ho, Akosombo, Weija, Kpong, Kukurantumi and Abono near Bosomtwi in the Ashanti Region, would help establish early alarm systems for the country.
Mr Duodu said "the most attractive incentive to any mining investor is represented by fresh and updated geological data maps," adding that "geological mapping has the same impact as infrastructure such as roads, tracks or telecommunication".
He observed that the country remained an attractive destination for mining investors because of the quality of data available to investors to explore areas of interest.
In his remarks, Mr Dauda said processes for the purchase of the earthquake device was almost complete as the Procurement Board had given the green light for the ministry to source for the buying of the equipment.
"If we do not purchase this equipment and something unfortunate happens, we would carry the blame forever and even get blamed for negligence.”
He said he would champion the cause of changing the status of the GSD before the end of the year to ensure that the country benefited from the GSD's works.
Mr Dauda noted that it was regrettable that for a country that had identified earthquake prone areas, people continued to build magnificent buildings at such zones without recourse to the GSD's advice.
Citing the MacCarthy Hill as an example, he stated that it was time the country took country planning seriously to ensure that the GSD’s advice was adhered to.
The mishap, which was brought to the attention of the Minister of Lands and Natural Resources, Mr Collins Dauda, during a working visit to the Geological Services Department (GSD), has made it impossible for the country to record earth movements for the past two years.
The equipment, which was acquired in 1974 and retooled in 1992, ceased working two years ago making the country dependent on other countries to report earth movement occurrences in Ghana.
The Director of the GSD, Mr John Agyei Duodu, who took the minister round, said "at the moment when something happens in the country in terms of earth movement, we only have to rely on our partners across the world to receive data to process and confirm".
He said with the exception of the Obuasi gold deposits, the GSD had provided all the technical support for the discovery of every mineral deposit or occurrences in the country, the discovery of the sites and survey works for the construction of the Akosombo, Kpong, and Bui Dams, but in spite of this the institution had lately been bedevilled with a myriad of problems which affected its capacity to deliver.
He urged the minister to champion the process of making the GSD semi-autonomous to be able to make the institution more efficient, competitive and financially independent.
He said the GSD in collaboration with the German Geological Survey would launch a new Digital Geographical Map of the country in February to enhance survey.
He appealed to the minister to facilitate the purchase of a Digital Seismic (Earthquake) Equipment, which acquisition proposal had been routed through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources.
He said the components of the facility, which would be sited at Ho, Akosombo, Weija, Kpong, Kukurantumi and Abono near Bosomtwi in the Ashanti Region, would help establish early alarm systems for the country.
Mr Duodu said "the most attractive incentive to any mining investor is represented by fresh and updated geological data maps," adding that "geological mapping has the same impact as infrastructure such as roads, tracks or telecommunication".
He observed that the country remained an attractive destination for mining investors because of the quality of data available to investors to explore areas of interest.
In his remarks, Mr Dauda said processes for the purchase of the earthquake device was almost complete as the Procurement Board had given the green light for the ministry to source for the buying of the equipment.
"If we do not purchase this equipment and something unfortunate happens, we would carry the blame forever and even get blamed for negligence.”
He said he would champion the cause of changing the status of the GSD before the end of the year to ensure that the country benefited from the GSD's works.
Mr Dauda noted that it was regrettable that for a country that had identified earthquake prone areas, people continued to build magnificent buildings at such zones without recourse to the GSD's advice.
Citing the MacCarthy Hill as an example, he stated that it was time the country took country planning seriously to ensure that the GSD’s advice was adhered to.
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