By Femi Akinola
Ravaging sea has been threatening a long stretch of about 700 metres unprotected portion of the coast around the multi billion dollar Aboadze Thermal Plant in Shama District, Western Region, Ghana.
The existing sea defence wall constructed by the government in the district was intended to protect the thermal units of the Volta River Authority (VRA) and Takoradi International Company.
However, between one of the newly built Twin City Power (Amandi)and the VRA’s thermal units is a long stretch about 700 metres without a defence wall from where the ocean surge steadily penetrates and erode the shore.
If the Ghanaian footdrags in finding immediate and lasting solution to the ocean surge in that district, local engineers has predicted that the erosion impacts on the Aboadze power enclave could lead to the country losing a substantial part of its energy generation mix.
The Head of Coastal Division of Ghana Hydrological Authority (GHA), Yiadom Boakye Akoto, in an interview with news men over the ocean surge said: ‘It is a threat to the power plants. Considering the investments in these plants, the economic benefit of the infrastructure far outweigh the cost of protecting the shore.”
According to him, there were three lines of coconut plants as part of the defence line to protect the area from erosion but two of those lines had since been lost, with the third one currently under threat by the ocean surge.
He added thus: ” The beach fronting these assest has remained vulnerable to the harsh conditions of tidal waves and sea level rises due to climate change.”
The concerns expressed by Akoto, an engineer, comes on the heels of similar issues observed by the Minister of Works and Housing, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, during a working tour of the Central Region of the country last Thursday.
He said the exposure of the unprotected section of the coastline to the vagaries of tidal wave impacts could result in massive erosion of the coastline and adjoining land.
Additionally, Akoto, the head at GHA, said that Aboadze’s neighbouring coastline, the Shama-Anlo beach, was under serious threat due to tidal wave impacts, stressing that beaches near Shama-Anlo has recently been rapidly degrading at an alarming rate.
”The main cause of this incident is the sea level rise brought on by climate change and its associated repercussions,” he said.
He equally said that economic fishing activities along the shore of Aboadze, Shama and Anlo beach is on the decline due to tidal wave impact, erosion of landing site for the fishing boats and other factors.
The Minister, Oppong Nkrumah, later addressed the medial after the tour of the area stating that the government is committed to getting contrcators on all the stalled sea defence projects back to site to complete them adding that some of the sea defence projects could be completed in two months.
Nkrumah stressed further saying, ”The eight sea defence projects commenced in 2017 were all more than 80% done.” He said why some of the work suffered delay due to financial challenges, noting that all such issues had been resolved and contractors had agreed to go back to the sites.
The minister engaged various stake holders, incluing fishermen, traditional rulers and the people of the area, during the tour. He equally addressed various concerns raised during the interactions.