The Ketu South Municipal Chief Executive, Mr Elliot Edem Agbenorwu, has made a passionate appeal to the central government to, as a matter of urgency, start work on the second phase of the sea defenseproject to prevent the sea from destroying the main Sogakope–Aflao road.
Mr. Agbenorwu said currently, the sea had destroyed houses at Salakope and part of Agavedzi, thereby displacing a number of people and that if measures are not put in place early enough to prevent further destruction of the sea, the main Sogakope-Aflao road would be washed away.
Speaking to Volta File at Tokor, the Ketu South MCE explained that the then National Democratic Congress (NDC) government started a sea defense project, being phase one of the project at Blekusu and part of Agavedzi which was not completed, and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government led by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo Addo continued with the project and completed it in 2019.
He, however, stated that the second phase of the project did not start as expected due to some challenges, saying the Minister for Works and Housing was invited recently to the area with his technical team, who held a meeting with the residents in the affected communities.
It became clear at the meeting that the second phase of the project would be continued to help save life and property.
Mr. Agbenorwusaid currently, Blekusu and part of Agavedzi are safe and that construction must continue at Agavedzi to Amutinu and Adina up to Aflao in order to prevent tidal waves from destroying communities along the coast in future. He stressed that government was aware of the situation and lasting solution would be found to the problem confronting the people living along the coast.
He, therefore, urged residents in the affected areas to exercise restraint as government takes the necessary steps to continue the second phase of the project that would definitely bring to an end the destruction of houses by tidal waves.
The Ketu South MCE noted that the process for work to start on the second phase of the sea defense project started since 2019.
However, due to what he described as some hold-ups at the Ministry of finance, the project could not start on schedule.
Mr. Agbenorwu, who described residents in the municipality as hardworking, said the only place left for the displaced people to seek refuge is Kpota, where currently the Seven Seas Salt Limited is engaged in mining activities.
According to him, he had already met management of the company to allow for temporary settlement of the victims in the area.
Mr. Agbenorwu disclosed that the Assembly would be extending a water project to the new area and extension of electricity in order to make life a little more comfortable for them.
A victim, Mr. Christian EwotsigeAmeatoge, observed that the sea had destroyed their lands and still posed a serious challenged to the very survival of the people.
He stated that the people in the affected communities had over the years appealed to government for a sea defense wall, but nothing had been done about their plight.
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