Tidal destruction is a wakeup call to save coastal communities

Togbe Tepre Hodo IV, President of the Volta Region House of Chiefs, has called on the nation to consider the recent tidal destruction as a nudge to secure communities along the coast.

He said the plight of the affected should urge all to collectively commit to finding a solution, adding that the situation left no space for political and other partisanship.

Togbe Tepre Hodo made the call when he led a delegation from the House to visit communities
affected by tidal activity that occurred a week ago.

The disaster of Sunday, November 07, although a seasonal occurrence, crushed 17 communities in the Ketu South, Keta, and Anloga districts, displacing more than 3000 people in what is being considered one of the worst along the stretch.

The Paramount Chief said the Government should not hesitate in initiating emergency relief programmes
for the communities as they continued to suffer the loss of hard earned livelihoods.

“This is a real tragedy and it should be a wake-up call to all and sundry that we need to save these
communities along the beaches.

“We as the Volta Region House of Chiefs are calling on the government to intervene in this matter. It’s about the lives of people, and we will make a humble suggestion that wherever relief can be found to help these people come out from this predicament, we all will all be grateful.

“This is no longer about the Party in power or the Party in opposition. It is about saving our own kith
and kin, and therefore our appeal goes out to everybody, that let us help salvage the situation for the good of the people in this area. It is a real tragedy, which cannot be overlooked by anybody.”

Togbe Tepre Hodo said work on the seawall project, key among possible interventions, and which was saving communities on the shoreline, should be resumed.

“I think it is critical for us to emphasize the fact that the sea defence wall project has to be started again because that is the only way these communities can be saved.

“It is quite obvious, places where you see the project completed, you don’t see that much devastation,
while in the areas where there hasn’t been any kind of work as far as that project is concerned, and you see the level of devastation.

So it’s obvious, and I think this is a timeous appeal to all and sundry to help us. Let’s restart this project and save these communities,” he said.

Among the delegation were; Togbega Patamia Dzekley VII, Paramount Chief of Bator Traditional Area and Vice President of the House, and also, Togbe Nakakpo Dugbaza, Paramount Chief of Tefle, and Harry Attipoe, Registrar of the House.

Togbe Gbordzor II, Dusifiaga of the Anlo State who led the delegation around the affected communities, said it was a “high risk situation” for coast dwellers.

The delegation was shown the damage caused to homes and facilities including a school and took a boat trip to Fuveme, one of the worst-hit communities, and where a major river passage to other districts was close by the tide.

The chiefs also met the people of Kedzikofe, another battered community with over 500 displaced.

The tidal phenomenon halted the activities of fisher-folk, but the GNA saw some fishing work along sections of the coast covered by the seawall.

There was an increase in the flow of Relief Items to the affected areas from State agencies, and also from corporate, humanitarian, and international organisations.