President John Dramani Mahama has announced that the Keta Sea Defence project will commence soon, bringing relief to residents affected by recent tidal waves in the Volta Region.
The President made this announcement during a visit to the affected communities, where he assessed the damage and met with residents.
According to Mahama, the project had been stalled due to lack of funding, but he has instructed the Finance Minister to include funding for the project in the upcoming budget.
“The feasibility study is ready, the design is ready, we just have to allocate the funding so that the project will start,” Mahama explained.
The President’s visit to the affected communities was a response to the devastating impact of the tidal waves, which have displaced hundreds of residents and destroyed properties.
President Mahama acknowledged the severity of the situation, stating that 51 households had been affected, 300 people had been displaced, and 80 meters of the coastline had been washed away.
He also criticized the previous resettlement project, which he said was not well thought through and had resulted in shoddy work.
“The work is shoddy, and even the area where the resettlement is being built is a flat area. And so if it floods, it will affect those buildings, too. And so those buildings are not fit for purpose,” he said.
The President assured residents that his administration would take immediate action to address their plight.
“We’ve brought some items to be distributed to those who have been displaced. The items are from three sources, our minister of roads and transport, has donated 250 bags of rice,” he said.
President John Mahama’s visit to the affected communities was seen as a significant step towards addressing the challenges faced by residents.
The commencement of the Keta Sea Defence project is expected to bring relief to the affected communities and prevent similar disasters in the future.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
