Accra: The Minister of Works, Housing, and Water Resources, Mr. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, announced that preparations are underway for the commencement of Phase II of the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project. The project aims to protect the coastal communities of Salakope, Agavadzi, and Amutinu in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Adjei assured the residents that the government is committed to finding lasting solutions to protect their communities from further devastation. During a working visit to the operational site, he stated that the construction works have been awarded to Messrs Amandi Holdings Limited and are expected to be completed within four years, from 2025 to 2029. The project will involve constructing a robust coastal defense wall along an 8km stretch of the coastline to mitigate the impact of tidal waves and prevent erosion.
The project also aims to boost the local economy by providing ancillary facilities such as a car park and lorry station, fish market, cold storage facility, fish drying and smoking areas, public washrooms, and a waste collection system. Mr. Adjei highlighted the critical benefits of the project, including halting coastal erosion, enhancing fishing activities, protecting lives and property, boosting tourism, creating jobs, improving sanitation, and protecting the environment.
He called for the cooperation of the residents in respecting the construction process, avoiding actions that could undermine the project, and maintaining the facilities that will be provided.
Representing the communities, Torgbiga Adama III, Paramount Chief and President of Some Traditional Council, expressed joy and relief at the imminent construction. He emphasized that the project would restore their livelihood and pledged the community's support to ensure the project's smooth implementation. He also appealed to the construction firm to adhere to the timelines.
