Member of Parliament (MP) for the Keta Constituency, Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, has called for urgent measures to prevent the fast erosion of the country’s coastline by the sea.
His call comes in the wake of the recent tidal waves that hit some coastal communities in the country, resulting in the destruction of many homes and property as well as the displacement of hundreds of people.
Some fishing communities within the Anloga, Keta, and Ketu South Municipalities in the Volta Region, including Fuveme, Dzita, Vui, Kedzikorpe, Xorvi, Havedzi, Blekusu among others, were not spared the effects of the angry waves and are under threat of being wiped out if urgent action is not taken to curtail the advancing tidal waves that are shrinking land and causing destruction in those communities.
Coastal communities in the Keta Municipality, just like other coastal communities in the country, have been at the receiving end of perennial tidal waves which have continually wreaked havoc on the communities, submerging buildings and trees and causing damage to property running into millions of Cedis.
One community in the Anloga district that is gradually facing extinction as a result of the tidal waves is Fuveme, a peninsula, less than 30 meters from the seashore.
Lying in the ruins of this small coastal town once described as a vibrant fishing post are several houses reduced now to broken walls.
Many residents living in the affected communities are predominantly fishers who have lost their fishing gear to the waves and are currently jobless as a result, a situation taking a toll on their livelihoods.
They have been calling on the government to find a lasting solution to the perennial occurrence as they live in constant fear of the destructive effects of the ravaging tidal waves.
The Keta MP who earlier visited the affected communities to sympathize with the victims blamed the government for what he referred to as it’s lackadaisical attitude in instituting mitigation measures against the perennial occurrence, which has become a source of worry to the people of the affected areas.
Gakpey observed that if care is not taken, the coastal areas of the Volta Region including Keta may soon be gone with the waves.
He called on the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing and the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO) to urgently respond to the plight of the people of the affected communities to forestall further destruction of property and livelihoods.
Source: ghanaweb.com / Leo Nelson, Contributor
