Workers and Lifeguards from Zoil Ghana Limited, a private firm responsible for rescue operations on the lake are calling on their authorities to pay them their salaries and allowances in no time, in the Biakoye district of Volta region. 
Zoil which is a company under the Jospong Group is in charge of Oil Waste Management, Oil Spill Recovery Services, Processing of Oil Waste and Allied Services, Reforestation and Afforestation and Coastal Environmental Management Services
The Ghana Navy has since 2009 provided programmes for people in communities along the Volta Lake to sensitise them to the hazards that often result in accidents on the lake.
About ten thousand lake guards were been trained to safeguard the lives of passengers who travel by boat on the Volta Lake against the backdrop of the accidents that claimed many lives on the lake
The guards strictly enforce security codes, including ensuring that boats on the lake do not exceed the load threshold.
But in an interview with Adomonline’s Gershon Mortey, the head of the workers and the Volta Lake lifeguards, Mr David Kumi disclosed that for about two and half years, they have neither been paid their salaries nor allowances.
He further recalled that, during the erstwhile President John Evans Atta-Mills’s administration, they were paid without delay but it halted during ex-President’s Mahama’s era when a new District Coordinator was appointed into the municipality.
“The leaders think we are senseless or villagers. They don’t think we are human beings. We were trained formally in naval base in Tema in 2010. They promised to give us allowance every two weeks but up till now we have never received it. They promised to pay us GH₵ 500 Cedis a month but we were paid GH₵ 120.00 per month…” David fumed.
“During Mill’s era, we were paid regularly. During Mahama’s era, we were paid but it stopped after the District coordinator was changed. We complained and we were told to wait. We have waited for 27 months now. It is sad. They claim there is no money but they are buying new cars…” he added.
The sad condition has rendered most of the distressed workers to borrow money from their friends and family to cater for their wards who equally deserve to be in school.
According to a 60-year-old ZOIL worker, who suffered an eye problem while working for the company, she has no money to book an appointment with a doctor to save her eye which is getting worse day by day.
“I use the money to pay my light bill and school fees of my children. Due to the occupational hazard involved with the work, I had an eye problem from collecting dust yet I have not been paid to go to the hospital. They should pay us to continue the work…” she said.
The concerned workers have vowed to abort the work if their demands are not met – a condition which will eventually lead to loss of lives on the lake.
“Due to our work, lots of lives have been saved. Should we abort the work or go ahead? We think we have to stop the work because we don’t have the motivation and zeal to continue…” they cried.
