President John Dramani Mahama has paid a working visit to Fuveme following the destruction caused by recent tidal waves, expressing solidarity with affected residents while assessing the extent of damage and outlining government interventions.
Fuveme lies along the Keta Lagoon, which drains into the sea through the Volta River Estuary. However, ongoing tidal erosion is pushing the sea to carve out a new estuary at Fuveme, threatening to connect the lagoon directly to the ocean and endangering the livelihoods of predominantly fishing communities.
During the visit, Mahama reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protecting Ghana’s coastline through the construction of sea defence systems. He noted that the area forms part of the World Bank-supported West Africa Coastal Area Programme (WACA), which aims to address coastal erosion across vulnerable communities.
He highlighted previous interventions, including the Agbletorkor Sea Defence, as well as earlier efforts such as the Keta Sea Defence Project initiated under Jerry John Rawlings, and ongoing works at Blekusu. The remaining stretches of coastline, he said, will be covered under the $150 million WACA project, extending to Ketu South and parts of Anloga.
Mahama explained that the project will include the construction of sea defence walls and groins to weaken strong ocean currents, alongside environmental measures such as coconut tree planting along beaches and mangrove restoration in estuarine areas to stabilise the land and reduce erosion.
He disclosed that although the project experienced delays in 2024 due to election-related disruptions, work has resumed under his administration, with feasibility studies completed and the design phase currently underway. Procurement and construction are expected to follow soon, with assurances that funding for the project remains secure.
As an interim measure, the President indicated that the Volta River Authority may be engaged to dredge the main estuary of the Volta River to reduce pressure on Fuveme’s coastline.
Mahama also inspected ongoing coastal protection works at Akplorwutokor and Agavedzi. He was accompanied by key government officials, including 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.
