President John Dramani Mahama has undertaken a working visit to Fuveme in the Anlo Constituency of the Volta Region to assess the impact of severe tidal waves and reaffirm government’s commitment to safeguarding vulnerable coastal communities.
The visit formed part of efforts to directly engage affected residents, inspect the damage caused by coastal erosion, and outline ongoing and planned interventions to protect livelihoods along the shoreline.
Fuveme, through which the Keta Lagoon flows before emptying into the sea at Ada Foah, is increasingly under threat as rising sea activity appears to be creating a new estuary connection. The development has raised concerns among residents, most of whom depend on fishing for their livelihoods.
President Mahama reiterated government’s resolve to strengthen coastal defence systems, noting that several interventions have already been undertaken along the Volta coast, including the Agbletorkor Sea Defence and earlier works at Keta, as well as ongoing phases of the Blekusu Sea Defence project.
He explained that the Fuveme area forms part of the broader West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Programme, a World Bank-supported initiative aimed at protecting Ghana’s shoreline through engineered and nature-based solutions.
According to him, the $150 million WACA project is currently progressing through the design stage following completion of feasibility studies. He added that procurement processes will follow before full-scale construction begins.
The President outlined a combination of protective measures under the project, including the construction of sea defence walls, installation of groynes to reduce wave energy, and environmental interventions such as coconut tree planting and mangrove restoration to stabilise the coastline.
He further disclosed that government is exploring interim measures, including engagement with the Volta River Authority (VRA) to undertake dredging works at the Volta estuary to reduce pressure on the Fuveme shoreline.
President Mahama assured residents that funding for the WACA project remains secure and urged cooperation from local communities as implementation accelerates.
He also inspected ongoing sea defence works at Akplorwutokor in Anlo and Agavedzi in the Ketu South Municipality as part of his broader coastal tour.
The President was accompanied by senior government officials, including the Volta Regional Minister James Gunu, Lands and Natural Resources Minister Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, Roads and Highways Minister Kwami Governs Agbodza, and National Security Advisor Prosper Douglas Kwaku Bani.
