President John Mahama says construction works under the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) project are expected to begin soon, assuring residents that efforts are being made to speed up implementation to address ongoing coastal erosion challenges.

“Very soon, you’ll see that work will start on your coastal area,” he said during a visit to affected communities in the Volta Region emphasising government’s commitment to fast-tracking the project.

He explained that the project is already advanced through key preparatory stages, noting, “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.”

The WACA project, supported by the World Bank with a funding envelope of $150 million, is designed to protect vulnerable sections of Ghana’s coastline stretching through areas including Ketu South and parts of Anloga.

Planned interventions include the construction of sea defence structures, installation of groynes to reduce wave impact, and ecosystem-based measures such as mangrove restoration and coconut tree planting to stabilize the shoreline.

Explaining the engineering approach, he said, “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.”

He also talked about nature-based solutions, adding, “There will also be planting of coconut trees on the beaches in order to stabilize the soil. They would also help with planting of mangroves in the estuary to defend the land against the sea’s encroachment.”

According to him, the project had experienced delays in 2024 due to the election period, but has since resumed. He stressed that funding for the initiative remains protected, stating, “So your money is safe, and the project is going to go on.”

He further clarified that while some World Bank-funded projects had been repurposed, the WACA allocation was preserved to ensure continuity of coastal protection works.

As part of interim measures, the government intends to work with the Volta River Authority (VRA) to dredge the estuary to ease pressure on the coastline.

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

He added that these short-term interventions are intended to reduce immediate impacts while awaiting the full rollout of the WACA project.

The President concluded by urging cooperation from residents, saying the government remains committed to delivering long-term solutions to coastal erosion.