Work on the second phase of the Blekusu Sea Defence project in the Volta Region is progressing steadily after the contractors mobilised to the site about four months ago.
The project is aimed at reclaiming land and protecting shorelines against devastating sea erosion in the Ketu South Municipality.
Spanning eight kilometres from Blekusu to Adina, the project will place 37 groynes perpendicular to the coastal communities to trap sand and create a buffer belt to protect the shorelines, roads, structures, electrical poles and houses.
The project is being executed by Amandi Holdings, which is prefinancing the GH¢919 million project.
Work on the project started in July, this year, and is expected to be completed in July 2028.
Visit
This came to light when the Select Committee of Works and Housing paid a working visit to the project sites and communities affected by sea erosion yesterday.
The committee members visited communities, including Agavedzi, Adina, Amutinu and Sallakope, to inspect the progress of work on the project and learn at first-hand challenges facing its speedy execution.
The second phase follows the successful completion of the first phase of the project, which started in 2015 and was completed in 2018.
Though the second phase was scheduled to continue immediately, it was abandoned when power changed.
Widespread devastation
During the visit, the committee, led by its Chairperson, Vincent Oppong Asamoah, came face to face with the widespread devastation caused by sea erosion to houses, roads, schools and power lines in the coastal communities from Agavedzi to Amutinu Sallakope.
At Amutinu Sallakope, the only basic school the area, Amutinu Sallakope MA School, had its JHS1 to JHS 3 classrooms as well as that of kindergarten block demolished entirely by sea erosion, with the remaining structures being described as “a death trap” by the school authorities.
We’ll meet deadline
Briefing the committee members after touring projects sites and the communities, the Project Director of Amandi, Ehud Deri, said what could be seen at the end of the project was tens of metres that would create a buffer belt to protect roads and the structures in the communities.
In his view, if reclamation measures had been put in place earlier, many structures in the communities could have been saved.
He, however, assured that the company would work hard to meet the completion deadline of July 2028
“All the community have to do is to look at phase one and draw the conclusion since the job speaks for itself , “ he said.
Appreciation
The committee chairman said after the completion of the first phase of the project in July 2018, the government should have started the second phase but did not do so, causing harm to the communities.
He, however, expressed appreciation for the current government’s initiative to embark on the second phase of the project.
“So far for the Ministry of Works and Housing, this is the first major project the government decided to embark.
“That should tell us the importance the government attaches to these communities,” he said.
Investment opportunities
Given the huge impact sea erosion had caused in the communities, he urged the contractors to reconstruct some of the damaged schools in the as part of their corporate social responsibility.
With long stretch of beautiful shorelines, Mr Asamoah extended invitation to investors to take advantage of the prime shorelines in the areas which was just few kilometres from Accra.
“Looking at the serene environment, I think these lands here should be major prime land that should attract any investor.
“I believe that once we get investors that are interested in investing these areas, then I will support relocation to enhance economic activities while we find alternative livelihood empowerment for the people who depend entirely on the sea for their livelihood.
“Once we are able to engage with the traditional leaders, they will agree to relocate so we find good investors and the communities will get employment as a result of the investment that may come,” the Chairman said.
Expressing satisfaction at the speed work was being done, he urged the government ton honour its part of the agreement by honoring the contractor’s certificate to allow him complete the project on time.
Prioritse payment
Speaking on behalf of the Ranking Member of the committee, a member of the committee, Alexander Agyare, said the project had the potential to save lives and properties.
He, therefore, urged the government to prioritise payments to contractors to ensure timely completion.
“If you look at the speed the contractors are working, it is quite impressive and the government should focus on payment to save life and property,” he said.
