Keta sea defence project to be expanded

Source: Daily Graphic Ghana  -  The government has put in place pragmatic measures to expand the Keta Sea Defence project in the Volta Region to benefit more communities. The sea is said to have claimed land (communities) in excess of one-and-a-half miles over the years.

Already, the Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing has deployed a team of engineers, technical men and officials from the ministry to ascertain the level of destruction caused by the sea owing to tidal waves. Other officials were from the Hydrological Services Department and the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO).

Among the communities visited by the team were Xorvi, Kedzi and Blekusu. It was led by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Mr Johnny Osei Kofi. The 41-million Euro Keta Sea Defence Project that commenced in the year 2000 was completed in 2014. Beneficiary communities included Anyanui, Atorkor and Dzita.

Addressing chiefs and people of Xorvi, Mr Osei Kofi said despite the generational challenges in resolving the problem, the government was committed to finding a permanent solution to the tidal wave menace in the area.

According to him, the government had tasked Amandi Holdings, contractors on the Atorkor Sea Defence project, who were part of the visiting team, to submit a proposal within a week to accelerate the execution of the expansion project.

During a visit to the Atorkor sea defence project site to ascertain the level of its impact since it was handed over to the government by the contractors in December last year, the team expressed satisfaction over the quality of work.

Mr Osei Kofi gave the assurance that all the coastal communities in the municipality would benefit from the project.

The Chief of Xorvi, Togbi Edido II, appealed to the government to deliver on its promise of solving the tidal wave problems which continued to cause destruction to homes and other properties. He expressed the fear that if the project was not expanded, most communities in the municipality would be wiped away soon.

The chief also appealed to the government to ensure the dredging of the Keta lagoon and to reclaim lost land for infrastructural development.