News:
April 26, 2023
The Member of Parliament for the Keta Constituency in the Volta region, Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey has once again appealed to government for the commencement of work on the phase two of the Keta Sea Defence project as permanent solution to the perennial flooding of communities along the coast as a result of tidal waves.
According to the lawmaker, several appeals to central government to commence work on the Blekusu stretch of the sea defence project has proven futile leaving the people at the mercy of the tidal waves annually with devastating effects to lives and properties.
Mr Kwame Gapkey’s renewed appeal follows the flooding of households in several communities in the Keta constituency.
The phenomenon of Keta and its adjourning communities being hit by tidal waves with its attendant negative impacts on livelihoods have become a norm in recent times due to the increasing eating up of habitable lands by the sea.
Communities such as Keta central, Kedzikofe, Agbotsakofe, Dzelukofe, Nugbesekofe, Tetelikofe among others are currently immersed in water and properties such roads, roofings of buildings as well as tourist sites including emancipation beach and parts of Aglor Lodge have all been damaged as a result of the tidal waves.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 News about the disaster, Hon Kwame Gakpey expressed disquiet about the regular kneejerk approach by government to finding a permanent solution to the problem which kept recurring.
He indicated that the time has come for government to act quickly by resuming work on the sea defence project once and for all.
Mr Gakpey noted that despite a pledge by the minister for Works and Housing to parliament following a question he posed that some Ghc 10 million has been allocated for feasibility studies for the project and a follow-up visit by the minister to the community, nothing has been done since.
The MP also appealed to benevolent institutions including corporate bodies and NGOs to come to the aid of the people even as he urged the National Disaster Management Organisation to act as a matter of urgency to brief relief to the residents.
In April last year, Keta and its neighboring communities especially Agavedzi were hard hit by tidal waves disaster destroying several properties including close to 100 houses and curtailed economic activities of residents for several days.
Ghanamps.com