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| PREZ. JOHN MAHAMA |
President John Dramani Mahama has reaffirmed his government’s commitment to addressing the persistent tidal waves that continue to devastate the coastal communities of Agavedzi, Sallakope, and Amutinu in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region.
“We already have a comprehensive report on the situation. The feasibility studies and designs for the Blekusu Phase 2 sea defence project are complete; the next step is securing funding,” he stated.
Speaking at a durbar in Agavedzi on Independence Day, after touring the flood-hit areas, President Mahama assured residents that he would instruct the Minister of Finance to allocate funds for the sea defence project in the upcoming budget.
So far this year, tidal waves have displaced 300 people, destroyed 51 households, and eroded 800 meters of coastal land.
“The government has not forgotten you; we will do everything possible to alleviate your suffering,” President Mahama assured.
He attributed the worsening crisis to the previous government’s failure to continue the Blekusu Phase 2 project, which was initially designed to protect the affected communities, including Adina. However, he promised that work on the project would resume soon.
President Mahama was accompanied by ministers of state, Members of Parliament, the Chief Executive Officer of the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), Professor Nana Ama Brown Klutse, as well as officials from the EPA and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).
During his visit, he also criticized the Ghana Gas resettlement project in the area, calling it “shoddy” and unsuitable for a flood-prone zone. He pledged that once work on the sea defence project commenced, efforts would also be made to relocate displaced residents to safer areas.
The durbar was attended by chiefs, queen mothers, and residents of the Some Traditional Area. Paramount Chief of Some, Togbi Adama III, commended President Mahama’s visit, describing it as a beacon of hope and proof of his concern for the well-being of the people.
“You started the sea defence project in 2015; if the New Patriotic Party (NPP) had continued it, we wouldn’t be facing this situation today,” he said, adding that the community now looks to the Mahama-led government for relief.
Volta Regional Minister James Gunu strongly criticized the NPP for abandoning the project, calling it an act of “absolute wickedness” that had left the people suffering for eight years. Similarly, Sallakope Assembly Member Sylvester Kuma warned that without the sea defence project, the livelihoods of residents would remain at risk.
President Mahama later presented a large consignment of relief items to affected residents. Donations included:
250 bags of rice from the Minister of Roads and Highways and MP for Adaklu, Kwame Governs Agbodza
A significant cash donation from Engineers and Planners
500 bags of rice
200 cartons of cooking oil
100 cartons of soap
30 cartons of mosquito coils
Bales of used clothing from NADMO
Despite receiving the relief items, many displaced residents expressed frustration, emphasizing that these were only temporary solutions.
“What we really need is the sea defence wall to protect our lives, property, and livelihoods,” said Yawo Moayekor, a 30-year-old mother of three who lost her business to the floods.
Another resident, Josephine Domevenu, lamented that she had no shelter and no way to provide for her children. However, she remained hopeful that President Mahama’s visit signaled a real commitment to resolving the crisis.
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