President John Dramani Mahama has assured residents in erosion-hit communities along Ghana’s eastern coastline that construction works under the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) project will begin soon.

Speaking during a visit to affected communities in the Volta Region, the President said the government is working to fast-track the implementation of the long-awaited intervention to address severe coastal erosion and flooding.

“Very soon, you’ll see that work will start on your coastal area,” President Mahama told residents.

He explained that the project has already completed major preparatory stages and is now progressing toward construction.

“The feasibility study is finished. They are at the design stage. After the design stage, they’ll do the procurement. That is the actual construction of the WACA project,” he said.

The WACA project, backed by the World Bank with a reported funding envelope of $150 million, is intended to protect vulnerable coastal communities in areas such as Ketu South and parts of Anloga, where tidal waves and shoreline erosion have displaced residents and destroyed homes over the years.

Planned interventions include sea defence structures, groynes to reduce wave force, and nature-based shoreline protection measures.

“There’s going to be sea defence, and they’re also going to be groynes built into the sea to break the currents, the strong waves, so that it will come back to the coast in a very gentle manner,” the President explained.

He added that ecological restoration would also form part of the project.

“There will also be planting of coconut trees on the beaches to stabilise the soil. They would also help with planting of mangroves in the estuary to defend the land against the sea’s encroachment,” he said.

President Mahama noted that the project suffered delays in 2024 due to the election season, but has since resumed.

He assured residents that funds allocated for the initiative remain intact.

“So your money is safe, and the project is going to go on,” he stated.

According to him, although some World Bank-funded programmes were restructured, the WACA allocation was protected to ensure continuity of the coastal defence works.

As a temporary measure, the President said the government would collaborate with the Volta River Authority (VRA) to dredge the estuary to reduce immediate pressure on the coastline.

“Normally, when the estuary is silted, it looks for ways to join the sea in other places,” he said. “If we dredge it, it allows more water to flow out into the sea.”

He said the short-term intervention is intended to minimise damage while the full project moves into construction.

Coastal erosion has remained a major issue in parts of the Volta Region, particularly in Keta, Kedzi, Agavedzi, Salakope and neighbouring communities, where repeated tidal waves have displaced families and damaged livelihoods.

President Mahama urged residents to continue cooperating with authorities, assuring them that the government remains committed to delivering a lasting solution.