Rawlings' Speedboat Is For Pet Project - Smith

The Special Assistant to the former President, Victor Smith says his boss’ newly acquired dinghy (speedboat) is not meant for his pleasure. Rather, it is to assist the people of Tefle along the Volta River to control Bilharzias. Former President Rawlings has a house in Tefle.

In an interview with the “Ghanaian Voice” in Accra, Mr Smith explained that the dinghy was an inflatable second hand saying “the boat is for his own pet project on the Volta Lake around Tefle in the Volta Region”.

According to the Special Assistant, the problem in the area is caused by blockage of water flow into the sea by weeds on the river. So the former President decided to acquire the boat and attach a special rake he had bought, to clear the weeds from the lake, to allow the water to flow into the sea. This, Mr Smith said, would prevent stagnation of water that breeds the worms that causes Bilharzias.

Mr Smith said the dinghy cost the ex-President $15,000 with a duty tax of 100 million cedis.