Ketu South tidal waves victims appeal for sea defense wall

The chiefs, opinion leaders and victims of the five communities in the Ketu South Municipality in the Volta Region who were displaced by the tidal waves are appealing to the President to immediately rescue them from their dire conditions.

According to the chiefs, living conditions have become unbearable as victims cannot feed or cloth themselves because they have lost all their livelihood to the disaster.

Expressing the sentiments of the chiefs, opinion leaders and victims, the Chief Executive Officer of Marrer Ghana Limited and Susagtad Boat Building, Mr Novihoho Afaglo, said the fate of over 800 people displaced by the recent sea invasion of some communities in the Ketu South Municipality remains uncertain with more tidal incursions expected in the wake of the rains.  

Mr Afaglo said the sea submerged some 100 houses in the five communities late last month has constantly ravaged the areas in the past four years. 

He said areas such as Agavedzi, Sarakope, Adina, Blekusu and Amutinu were not spared during the disaster.

 

The CEO revealed that about 200 of the victims from some households have been building shelters for themselves on the island of Dzetagba soon after the sea invasion, in the hope of earning a living through fishing and salt mining while others are yet to find their feet exposing them to all manner of environmental hazards.

"Currently as I speak to you, victims have no toilet facilities attached to the structures they had erected on the island, making the situation more dangerous to their health," he stated.

Mr Afaglo who is also an indigen of the land said victims are force to defecate on the edges of the water posing serious threat to their health.

He said many of the displaced persons are still perching with their relatives in a state of growing uncertainty.   

The disaster victims are appealing to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to immediately rescue these communities from extinction.

"What we need now goes beyond the paltry sharing of relief items such as buckets and tents from the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) because it looks like that wouldn't solve the problem," he said

  

Mr Afaglo said the displaced victims are insisting on a sea defence wall as a permanent solution to the problem.

The chiefs, opinion leaders and victims are therefore calling on the central government to make provision of constructing a sea defence wall to save thes communities before the worse happens.