Talks Of Possible Earthquake Creates Fear�Drives Away Investors�Gomoa Chief

The Chief of Gomoa Nyanyano in the Central Region, Nana Obeng Wiabo V, has taken a swipe at the Geological Survey Department (GSD), for what he claims is the deliberate spread of alarm and fear in the residents of Gomoa Nyanyano, following reports of an earth tremor that hit the town and its environs this week. According to Nana Obeng Wiabo V, the GSD was unnecessarily creating panic in the Gomoa Nyanyano township with frequent tales of the area being prone to an earthquake. The Deputy Director of the GSD, Dr. Kwasi Adu, in an earlier interview with Peace FM on Monday, March 1st, pointed out that the reported case of an earth tremor which hit the town yesterday was a wakeup call on the people to relocate, to avoid any future disaster. Dr. Adu said he �would not advise anyone to purchase a piece of land or stay at Gomoa Nyanyano simply because the town lies in the epicenter of any future earthquake. In an interview on PEACEFM�s �Kokrokoo� hosted by Kwami Sefa-Kayi on Tuesday, March 2nd, Mr. Kwasi Adu again repeated that all the earthquake lines in the country merged at Nyanyano as such there was a need for measures to be taken to relocate them. �Kwami,�.the major earthquake prone areas in the country like the Akuapem Ridge, Ho, Weija, McCarthy Hills, Kasoa, East Legon, Mallam and the country�s coastal areas, all merged at Nyanyano�in the effect of a possible earthquake, residents of Nyanyano will be most affected,� he posited. However, this statement by the Deputy Director of the GSD did not go down well with the Gomoa Nyanyano Chief, who described his pronouncement as uncalled for and not in the interest of the people of Nyanyano. Speaking on the same platform, Nana Obeng Wiabo V said he could not understand why of all the places prone to earthquake, the GSD had decided to put the town which has existed for over 400 years in a negative light in the eyes of potential investors. �What they are saying is not true. We do not know of anything of that sort and if they continue to do that, they will collapse the Nyanyano town�They are always putting fear into us all the time. Where do they expect about 50,000 residents to relocate to in this country?� he asked. A clearly infuriated Nana Obeng Wiabo V urged the GSD to rather take steps to educate the people of Nyanyano about what to do in the event of any future earthquake occurring and quit creating a panic situation. �Whenever something happens in the Northern Region or Haiti, they bring it down to us. GSD should rather educate us rather than putting fear into us�Since the department has not taken any steps to educate the residents, they should not put fear into potential settlers and businessmen who would want to acquire land for various reasons,� he added. Gomoa Nyanyano and some surrounding towns in the Central Region, especially Kasoa, experienced an earth tremor early Monday morning, according to reports by some residents and confirmed by the Geological Survey Department. After confirming the report as true by its officials, the GSD issued a note of caution to the people of Nyanyano to relocate to prevent the devastating effects of any future earthquake.