Residents of Fuveme in the Anloga District of the Volta Region have appealed to the government to urgently extend the sea defence project to the area following widespread destruction caused by tidal waves.
The residents indicated that the tidal waves, which struck last Thursday, had washed away Fuveme and several neighbouring communities, displacing hundreds of people.
They explained that many of the displaced residents were currently taking shelter in coconut groves at the nearby community of Atiteti, where they depended on the goodwill of residents for survival as they were unable to engage in any meaningful economic activities.
A spokesperson for the Fuveme community, Mr Dotse Kekeli Kwawukume, made the appeal during a visit by the Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, to assess the extent of the damage last Sunday.
Mr Kwawukume stated that communities such as Atorkorkoddzi, Wutikordzi, Zodanukodzi and Dzaflagbe had been completely washed away.
He added that Kporkporgbor had become isolated between the Volta River and the sea after nearby communities were destroyed and seawater broke into the Volta River, cutting it off from other Anlo communities.
He again noted that the situation had made it difficult for residents of Kporkporgbor to access neighbouring areas, leaving them with the only option of crossing the estuary to Ada in the Greater Accra Region.
Mr Kwawukume further expressed concern that if urgent measures were not taken, the continuous inflow of seawater into the Volta River could affect aquatic life and lead to flooding in communities such as Fiaxor, Woe, Tegbi, Bomigo and Anyako.
The Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, who toured the affected areas, expressed concern about the scale of destruction and sympathised with the victims.
He assured the residents that the government would respond to their appeal and take steps to construct a sea defence wall in order to prevent further devastation.
Mr Gunu indicated that the government was committed to the welfare of the people and would address the situation with the urgency required to safeguard lives and property.
The Volta Regional Coordinator of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), Mr Pascal Agbagba, said efforts were underway to compile data on affected persons to enable the government to provide the necessary support.
He mentioned that many of the victims had lost their livelihoods and were unable to engage in economic activities.
The Chief of Atiteti-Fuveme, Togbui Adelashi Kotor III, expressed appreciation to the Regional Minister and the Anloga District Chief Executive for the visit.
He appealed to the government to respond swiftly to the crisis in order to restore normalcy and revive the economic activities of the affected communities.
FROM SAMUEL AGBEWODE, FUVEME
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