The Southeastern coastline of the country is facing an unprecedented crisis as rising sea levels continue to devastate entire communities.
The once-thriving settlements of Fuveme and Kporkporgbor have already been lost to the sea, leaving behind only memories of families, farmers, and fisherfolk who once called these towns home.
The Volta Region, which is bearing the brunt of this coastal erosion, has seen its residents forced to abandon their ancestral lands and relocate inland.
However, this relocation has brought new challenges, including the struggle to adapt to new environments and the loss of livelihoods.
Climate change has exacerbated the crisis, accelerating coastal erosion and leaving many vulnerable to nature’s wrath.
Agorkedzi, the relocation area designated for those displaced from Fuveme and Kporkporgbor, is now facing the same tragic fate.
Residents who were forced to leave their homes and start over in Agorkedzi are now watching helplessly as their new home succumbs to the same fate.
This crisis is not just an environmental issue; it is a humanitarian disaster.
Local women, who once managed small businesses and processed fish in their communities, are now witnessing the collapse of their livelihoods.
The situation is further compounded by the threat to vital infrastructure.
The Keta-Denu Littoral road, a key transport route connecting coastal towns, is at risk of being lost to the sea.
Experts warn that if the road is washed away, it will cripple the regional economy, affect emergency response, and isolate communities, exacerbating the social and economic impact of this crisis.
Civil society groups have intensified their calls for immediate action, demanding an emergency meeting with key government agencies.
They stress that while discussions have been held at the Ministry of Environment, tangible, on-the-ground responses are urgently needed.
However, the government is being urged to declare a state of emergency in the affected coastal areas, allocate resources for the immediate evacuation and permanent resettlement of displaced families, implement robust coastal defense measures, and expedite actions to protect essential infrastructure like the Keta-Denu Littoral road.
-BY Daniel Bampoe
