By Ewoenam Kpodo
Salakope (VR), Sept 3, GNA – Residents of Salakope, a coastal community reeling under tidal waves destruction in the Ketu South Municipality, have renewed calls for a sea defence wall in the area.
This, they said, was important to secure their lives and properties from the ravaging sea, threatening the existence of the fishing community.
The residents, who had been calling on government in the past years for intervention to stop the sea from its devastating attacks on the community and nearby ones, renewed their calls for help following another episode of the recurring menace on August 31, submerging homes.
Mr Sylvester Kumawu, Assembly Member for Amutinu/Salakope, in an interview with Ghana News Agency, said urgent action was needed to prevent the electoral area from going extinct.
He said the perennial tidal waves attacks had destroyed households, properties and businesses, thus, rendering victims homeless, depressed and frustrated and, indirectly leading to loss of lives.
“If I tell you the number of deaths that we have recorded indirectly… People are depressed. All that they spent their youthful years to build is gone. And what this means is that these people cannot make any property in their lifetime. There are others who have since lost their sanity. Something must be done and with urgency.”
Torgbui Emmanuel Anomoo Tettey, a resident and Chief fisherman for Salakope, said not only were they constantly living in fear but also feeling the economic impacts of the sea’s destruction.
“Lately, once a week, the sea flows into our homes at night, which is leaving us in fear of what may happen next.
Apart from that, we’re people who depend on the sea for our livelihood. But since the month-long fishing ban in the country’s marine waters has been lifted on August 1, we’re still hanging our nets lest we risk them being destroyed by either the high tides or the remnants of collapsed buildings in the sea.”
“Government must consider our plights. We need a sea defence wall,” Torgbui Tettey added.
Government through the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing had disclosed that plans were underway to commence phase II of the Agavedzi-Blekusu sea defence project in Ketu South – which covers Salakope, to safeguard the coastal communities.
Mr Isaac Asiamah, Chairman for the Committee, who led a delegation to Volta Region’s coast in May, noted that funding had been secured for the second phase, and regretted that not much had been done to secure the coastline since their last visit about two years ago.
GNA