Some of the displaced residents on the island
About 20 occupants of three houses at Azizakpe, an island in the Ada East District of the Greater Accra Region, have been forced to seek shelter elsewhere following the destruction of the houses by tidal waves.
The strong waves have destroyed the properties worth thousands of cedis and left many residents, including school-children, stranded.
The 18 communities on the island previously suffered similar fate.
However, no casualties were recorded this time round but residents of the area have been griped with fear since the tidal waves might strike when they are asleep at night.
Chief of the Kudragbe Division Clan, Nene Tsatsu Pediator IV told DAILY GUIDE that harsh waves are restricting movement at Azizakpe since their only means of transportation is the canoe.
“Most of the residents, as you can see, have been left stranded. The situation is very dangerous, the sea is washing away many houses from the place and government must come to the aid of the people.” he declared.
A boat conveying this journalist and some officials of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) nearly capsized as a result of the strong waves.
Nene Pediator IV attributed the recent devastation to abysmal construction of the sea defence project along the coast of Ada.
He was of the view that the problem can be solved if the sea defence work is extended to the estuary.
Meanwhile, the District (NADMO) Coordinator, John Dan-doe said the level devastation is beyond the capacity of his outfit, indicating that “it is not just a matter of giving victims relief items but finding a lasting solution to the problem.”
He therefore called on the central government to reclaim land in order to salvage the situation.
It is estimated that about 10 or more houses could also destroyed by the sea in the near future if the situation persists.
Government in 2012 committed an amount of €68million to the construction of the Ada Sea Defence project to prevent tidal waves from causing havoc.
Many residents of the area believe the shoddy work by the construction company has caused the problem ahead of the biggest waves that often come in August every year.
Early this year, the Ada East District Assembly summoned the then Works and Housing Minster, Alban Kingsford Sumani Bagbin to explain reasons for the poor work and also why they failed to reclaim lands from the sea as promised by the NDC government but the Member of Parliament (MP) failed to turn up.
From Vincent Kubi, Azizakpe