The Ghana Hydrological Authority has warned that two-thirds of the country’s coastline is at risk of erosion and urgent protection is needed to prevent the loss of critical national assets.
The Chief Executive Officer of the authority, Dr. John Kissi, during a media briefing revealed that approximately 370 km of the 550 km coastline is vulnerable and requires immediate attention.
Key assets at risk include the Aboadze Power Enclave, St. Augustine SHS, Denu-Alao Highway, and Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery Training College, among others.
“Now within that 290-kilometre stretch, there are various important national assets at risk that need urgent action to protect them. We can talk of the Aboadze Power Enclave, where we have thermal plants that need protection, to safeguard in all together about 730 megawatts.
“We have important strategic roads in Cape Coast where we have the Accra-Takoradi road that is at risk, along with our educational institutions like St. Augustine SHS, UCC and Cape Coast Nursing and Midwifery Training College.
Dr Kissi emphasised the need for the government and private sector to invest heavily in coastal and climate adaptation and management strategies to mitigate the threat.
He also urged the public to refrain from engaging in sand-winning activities that exacerbate coastal erosion.
“All we are saying is that the government is doing a lot, we have already seen the eight ongoing projects, those that have already been completed but we are also urging the government to do more, to invest a bit more especially in those areas to protect the strategic assets and we are also calling on the private sector, some of them have a business along this coastline that are at risk if steps are not taken to protect them.”
“We invite the private sector to partner with us to come on board and invest in coastal protection and also to make some investments in our national hydrological fund.”
