Regional News of Thursday, 22 February 2007

Source: GNA

Salvage Ada coastline - MP

Ada-Foah (GAR), Feb. 22, GNA - The MP for Ada, Mr. Alex Narh Tettey-Enyo, has appealed to the government as a matter of urgency to look for funds to construct a defence wall to save the Ada coastline from sea erosion.

He noted that while scarce resources went into feasibility studies many such studies had been conducted over the past 15 years, which would be useful if the government wanted to undertake the project. Speaking to the GNA at Ada-Foah, the MP noted that the construction of sea defence wall along the Ada coastline had been captured in three national budget statements but had not be implemented.

Mr. Tettey-Enyo urged the government to look for funds to salvage the shoreline and stated that over 5,000 metres of land had been sub-merged, adding that, "If the remaining land, which is a little above sea level is washed away, then in a matter of days, the whole Ada land would be submerged".

Mr. Tettey-Enyo who was conducting newsmen along the coastline at Ada Okor said a recent feasibility studies conducted by a Dutch researcher, Mr. Jean Helman sponsored by the Dutch government indicated tourism and commercial and industrial land were submerging. It showed that the sea erosion was destroying the salt industry in the Songor Lagoon the "lifeblood" of the people.

Meanwhile forts, prisons and other monumental buildings constructed during the colonial era have already been washed away.

According to some of the inhabitants fishing at particular places was now risky because debris of submerged buildings.

Some said they could no longer fish in the lagoon because of the increased salinity caused by seawater entering the fresh water body. They blamed the media for not highlighting the effects of the sea erosion, which they said had claimed about 50 communities for the government to see the seriousness of the problem.

Some of the affected communities they said included Kerwunor, Azizanya, Ayigbo, Lolonya Korpey, Ada Foah Kpodzi, Otrokper, Totimeh-Korpey, Foah Ngua, Ocansey-Korpey, Anyakpor, Adedetse-Korpey, Patuetse-Korpey, Songutsopah, Elavanyo, Puteh, Totompey, Kablevu, Lolonya, Goi, Anyamam Akplabanya and Wokumagbe Lekpongunor.