General News of Tuesday, 10 May 2005

Source: GNA

Committee submits report on shipyard fire disaster

Accra, May 10, GNA - The Committee that investigated the recent fire disaster at the PSC Tema Shipyard on Tuesday presented its report to the Minister of Ports, Harbours and Railways with the assurance that it had dealt with its terms of reference.

"We are happy to say that we were able to deal with all the matters in our terms of reference and we are hopeful that Government would find the outcome of the Committee's work useful", Nana Owusu-Nsiah, Immediate Past Inspector General of Police, who chaired the Committee stated.

The seven-member Committee handed over the 139-page report to the Sector Minister, Professor Christopher Ameyaw-Akumfi.

Fifteen Ghanaians and three foreigners died in the fire-outbreak that occurred on Good Friday, March 25.

Nana Owusu-Nsiah said the report covered the cause of the fire and recommendations to help avert recurrence.

Committee was tasked to complete its work in two weeks after its inauguration on March 30 but the time had to be extended for technical reasons.

He said apart from the Managing Director of the PSC Shipyard, who could not be contacted for questioning, all other relevant persons and institutions were spoken to. Prof Ameyaw-Akumfi said the Government would try to address all issues raised in the report.