Anloga: Mr Joseph Bikanyi Kuyon, the Director-General of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), has led a high-powered delegation from Accra to Fuveme and other coastal communities in the Anloga District to assess destruction caused by persistent tidal waves. The assessment visit, held on Thursday, April 23, was to ascertain the extent of damage as advancing sea surges continue to erode coastlines, destroy homes, and displace residents.
According to Ghana News Agency, large sections of the community have been submerged, with livelihoods, particularly fishing and small-scale trading, severely disrupted. The delegation included Mr James Gunu, Volta Regional Minister; Togbega Kwamigah Atokple Atorkple Tanko, Volta Regional Representative on the Council of State; Madam Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, Deputy Minister for Local Government, Decentralisation and Rural Development; and Madam Abla Dzifa Gomashie, Member of Parliament for Ketu South. They were hosted by Madam Sandra Kpedor, the District Chief Executive of Anloga.
During the visit, the officials witnessed the scale of devastation as tidal waves breached coastal defences and the Volta estuary, encroaching on residential areas and leaving many families vulnerable and in urgent need of assistance. As part of immediate response measures, NADMO presented assorted relief items to affected residents. Mr Kuyon, in presenting the items, expressed sympathy to the victims and assured them of the Organisation's continued institutional support. 'We stand with the affected communities in this difficult time and will continue to provide the necessary assistance until a permanent solution is achieved,' he said.
Mr Gunu also assured residents of the Government's commitment to addressing the crisis, noting that consultations were ongoing to identify sustainable interventions to restore livelihoods and protect coastal settlements. Meanwhile, residents and stakeholders in the district are calling for urgent action beyond temporary relief, urging the Government to expedite the implementation of the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Management Programme in Ghana. The project, estimated at 155 million dollars and supported by the World Bank, is designed to deliver large-scale coastal protection, ecosystem restoration, and climate resilience interventions along vulnerable shorelines, including communities in the Volta Region.
Residents believe timely implementation of the programme would provide a comprehensive and lasting solution to the recurring tidal wave disasters that continue to threaten lives, property, and economic stability along Ghana's eastern coastline. Mr Richard Sefe, Member of Parliament for Anlo, has also echoed the call through a series of media engagements, expressing the frustration of his constituents over the worsening situation.