1.
LV PEOPLE APPROACH FERRY
0.06

2.
CU FERRY SIGN
0.08

3.
SV CROWDS WAITING FOR FERRY INCLUDING CHIEF
0.20

4.
SV FERRY MOVES OFF
0.32

5.
SV CHIEF ON FERRY
0.36

6.
CU FERRY ACROSS WATER
0.38

7.
LV PEOPLE LEAVE FERRY
0.43

8.
LV HELICOPTER LANDS
0.48

9.
CU WOMEN WAVE
0.50

10.
SV NKRUMAH WELCOMED (2 SHOTS)
1.00

11.
SV SHEEP SACRIFICED (2 SHOTS)
1.09

12.
SV NKRUMAH AND WIFE WALK TOWARDS
1.17

13.
SV NKRUMAH TURNS FIRST SOD (3 SHOTS)
1.33

14.
SV NKRUMAH SHAKES HANDS WITH VARIOUS DIGNITARIES


15.
SV NKRUMAH AND WIFE LEAVE
1.50



Initials AA/V/WH/BB.



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: GHANA'S SEVEN YEAR DEVELOPMENT PLAN WAS GIVEN FRESH IMPETUS ON WEDNESDAY WHEN PRESIDENT KWAME NKRUMAH TURNED THE FIRST SOD TO INITIATE CONSTRUCTION OF THE LOWER VOLTA BRIDGE WHICH WILL LINK TELFE AND SOGAKOFE.

AT PRESENT THE VOLTA RIVER HAS TO BE CROSSED BY FERRY. THE NEW BRIDGE, EXPECTED TO BE COMPLETED IN TWO YEARS, WILL LINK GHANA IN A MORE PRACTICABLE WAY WITH HER EASTERN NEIGHBOURS OF TOGO, DAHOMEY AND NIGERIA.

LOCAL CHIEFS AND PEOPLE GATHERED AT THE FERRY FOR THE INAUGURATION CEREMONY. PRESIDENT NKRUMAH, ACCOMPANIED BY HIS WIFE MADAME FATHIA, ARRIVED BY HELICOPTER.

THE TRADITIONAL POURING OF LIBATION AND THE SLAUGHTERING OF SHEEP GREETED THE PRESIDENT'S ARRIVAL AT THE CEREMONY GROUNDS. THEN, SURROUNDED BY CABINET MINISTERS, AMBASSADORS, THE WEST GERMAN DEPUTY FOREIGN MINISTER, MR. ROLF LAHR, AND OFFICIALS OF THE GERMAN FIRM WHO ARE BUILDING THE BRIDGE, PRESIDENT NKRUMAH TURNED THE FIRST SOD.

THE BRIDGE WILL CROSS THE VOLTA BETWEEN SOGAKOFE AND TELFE, ABOUT 70 MILES FROM THE CAPITAL, ACCRA. IT WILL BE 2,145 FEET (654 METRES) LONG WITH A ROAD WIDTH OF 27 1/2 FEET (15 METRES) AND HAVE SIX FOOT (2 METRE) PAVEMENTS ON EACH SIDE.