INSTALLATION OF EARTHQUAKE GUARD DEVICE TIMELY

IF you have keenly followed foreign news for some time, you would have seen, heard or read reports of the atrocities that earthquakes have caused elsewhere in the world.

 People have died, some seriously injured with countless property destroyed.

In the last 12 months, Ghana has had a mild foretaste of this disaster and even though it was nowhere close to what other countries have experienced, it sent shivers down the spine of everyone that felt it.

We speak of the earth tremors on March 24 and December 9, 2018 and subsequent ones that happened on January 13 and March 2, this year.

We recall publishing stories about these incidents and topping it up with editorials through which we called on the government to put proactive measures in place to avert the disaster.

At long last, an earthquake guard device that detects signals of earthquakes and tremors has been installed at Weija in the Weija-Gbawe Municipality in the Greater Accra Region.

The equipment, the first of its kind in the country, records and monitors seismological activities and evacuation drills and has a software server to provide early signals of impending disaster.

For effective management, it has also been installed at the offices of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) and the Ghana Geological Survey Authority (GGSA).

We understand some other places, including Peduase Lodge, Legon, Ayi Mensah, and other earthquake prone areas in the country, have been inspected for installation of the devices.

We at Ghanaian Times are elated about this development and commend the government and the stakeholders involved for taking this life-saving proactive step.

It is undisputed that earthquakes are natural phenomenon that cannot be controlled but with this device in place, we could have some leverage and reduce the impact.

That said, there is every need to ensure that the $3,000 equipment does not become a white elephant but officers of the requisite office are trained to use the devices.

Also, there should be awareness creation amongst residents of the places the devices have been installed so that when warnings of impending disasters are circulated they respond accordingly.

We are happy that technology is being deployed to solve problems and urged stakeholders to keep abreast of new developments so that we can consolidate efforts being made.

 Once again, we commend the government for this timely intervention.