The government has been called upon to put in place policies that promote the building and usage of fibreglass canoes to replace the wooden ones.
Mr. George Obeng, a Naval Architect and Graduate Assistant at the Regional Maritime University (RMU), said fibreglass canoes and boats have long-term superior benefits as compared to the wooden canoes being used in Ghana.
Mr. Obeng, together with Dr. Vindex Domeh, Lecturer at the RMU, made the call at a Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority’s (GPHA) media forum.
He said such canoes had better durability and minimal maintenance costs and served as a means of environmental sustainability and called on the government for its introduction in Ghana.
He said countries, such as Cote d’Ivoire and some Asian states, had laws governing the felling of trees, which Ghana could take as a cue to ban the felling of trees for the production of marine crafts to create the demand for fibreglass.
He said Ghana already had the capacity to produce fibreglass boats and canoes, as he p
ersonally had participated in the design and production of some fibreglass boats for the Ghana Navy and Ghana Health Service.
The naval architect said it was important for local manufacturers to be trusted and empowered to undertake mass production of fibreglass canoes and boats that met local needs and specifications while protecting the environment.
According to him, unlike the imported ones, the ones built locally considered important needs such as toilets, safety equipment such as the searchlight, echo sounder, GPS for navigation, very high-frequency (VHF) marine radio for communication, and furniture.
Dr. Domeh, answering a question on the cost implications of acquiring a fibreglass canoe, acknowledged that though the price of fibreglass boats and canoes at the point of purchase might cost more than the wooden ones, more savings are made in the long term.
He said the initial cost should not deter the mass production of fibreglass canoes, as they could benefit from their 50-year lifespan before having
to carry out major maintenance work.
They expressed the belief that the fibreglass production industry could grow to one that could promote Ghana’s maritime sector and provide job opportunities for the youth when invested in.
Source: Ghana News Agency
