The Anlo Youth Council (AYC) has called on Government to make public, its policy on coastal erosion, especially concerning the Anlo coast through to Ketu South, which is the most vulnerable to the effects of high waves.

According to the Anlo Youth Council, it is estimated by experts that the coast is receding at the rate of 2.2 metres per annum as against 0.6 metres by the rest of the country’s coastline. 

The AYC noted that destruction of property and the displacement of several people is a disruption to livelihood generation activities.

In a press release signed by the Vice President, Communication, Seth Doe, AYC said the impact of the large scale displacement coupled with the prolonged closure of the country’s borders as part of the measures to fight the Covid-19 pandemic, has already created unsustainable, intolerable and inhuman living conditions. 

Mr. Seth Doe of the AYC noted that the government and its mandated competent agencies must as a matter of urgency respond to the disaster with a coordinated strategy to avoid losing the rest of the land strip to the sea.  

The Anlo Youth Council also appealed to NADMO to keep providing affected residents with relief items as they wait on the government to take urgent action on the situation. 

“We particularly entreat the National Disaster Management Organization (NADMO)  to urgently provide relief items such as food, tents, building materials for the victims,” he said. 

The AYC noted that the issue of tidal waves devastation is coming against the backdrop of the ongoing Glasgow Climate Change Conference where the world has been made aware that the international community has made funds available to help mitigate the impact of global warming on communities in the developing world. 

Over 4,000 people have been displaced by the high waves in the Keta and Anloga Districts and hundreds of residents also displaced in Ketu South. 

Residents want the government to, as a matter of urgency, make funds available for the construction of the sea defense wall project as a permanent solution to the problem.