Accra, Feb, 15, GNA - Former President Jerry John Rawlings has been supporting efforts to remove weeds from the Volta River at Sogakope to rid the area of water borne diseases afflicting almost the entire population of the Wume-Tefle area.

A statement said following awareness created by the combined efforts of the Former President and Unit Chairmen of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the affected area, the Volta River Authority (VRA) has employed amphibious weed harvesters to clear a large section of the river covered by a thick growth of riverweeds. A visiting Italian medical team at the Comboni Hospital in Sogakope recently treated about 30 children from the area of eye ailments. The statement said the weeds have virtually stopped the flow of the river, allowing for the breeding of parasites that carry eye diseases. The VRA team said it would take 18 months to clear the weeds that had engulfed the river, silted its path thus rendering the clearing process painstakingly slow.

It said former President Rawlings was spending the weekend in the area supporting the project when fire gutted his Ridge residence. He dashed back to Accra to ensure that his family was safely accommodated temporarily and he is back in the area supporting the VRA team that spends eight hours daily on the weed removal. "The project has already seen an improved flow of the river, making it more difficult for the parasites to breed," the statement quoted the former President as having said.

Former President Rawlings, who has been associated with the Wume-Tefle area for the past 30 years, said the primary vocation there in the past was oyster and shrimp fishing.

However, with the advent of electricity, the inhabitants moved into other areas of economic activity and that had led to the neglect of that section of the river leading to the heavy silting of the river with weeds. He commended the operators of the weed harvester, Mr Thomas Agbasi, Mr MCintock Odoi and Mr Tetteh Okantey for the difficult work they are doing to make the lives of the people of Wume-Tefle comfortable. The former President has built a working relationship with them and often helps out with the harvester.