The Ghana Hydrological Authority (HYDRO) has discovered that 370 kilometres (km) of the country’s coastline risk destruction due to human activities and sea waves. The Authority says that 370 km stretches from the west to the east and constitute two-thirds of Ghana’s 550 km coastline.
The Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Ghana Hydrological Authority, Dr. John Kissi, who revealed the threat to journalists this week, also said the 370-km coastline required coastal protection to prevent further disasters in the areas at high risk. He said, “Now two-thirds of it, which is about 370 km long, is at risk. It’s important for us to undertake coastal protection measures to protect those two-thirds of the coastline.”
The information given by the Ghana Hydrological Authority is quite frightening and rings the alarm bells for us as a nation to act swiftly to curtail any calamities or bear the consequences in the near future.
Coastal erosion is a natural process where waves, currents, and tides gradually wear away the land. The coastlines are dynamic interfaces between sea and land, serving as critical cultural heritage sites, economic hubs and ecosystems. However, the unyielding pressure of nature, coupled with human activities, is pushing these vital areas towards irreversible destruction.
Coastal erosion, exacerbated by rising sea levels and human interventions transcends just an environmental issue, it is a clarion call for urgent action. This natural phenomenon is being augmented by climate change, which causes sea levels to rise and intensifies storm surges. In addition, human activities, such as unsustainable tourism, construction and deforestation further exacerbate the erosion process.
According to the Ghana Hydrological Authority 80km out of the 370km coastline is currently protected, leaving 290km in dire need of protection. He further told pressmen that a third of the entire coastline, representing 180 km, is deemed fairly stable with low vulnerability.
The Ghana Hydrological Authority says that out of the 370 km, eight projects were ongoing at various stages of completion and there were a couple that had been completed in the past, “summing up the 80-kilometre stretch that leaves a 290-kilometre stretch of our coastline unprotected.”
It was frightening to note that some important national assets could be affected if immediate action is not taken to protect them from further destruction by waves and other factors.
The Ghana Hydrological Authority said that the assets to be safeguarded include the Aboadze Power Enclave shoreline for the protection of national power installations, such as the Takoradi Thermal Power Station (530 MW) and the Twin Energy Station (200 MW).
It is important to safeguard our coastlines because the opposite is very costly. Tourism, shipping, and fishing all derive some sort of support from the coastline. The economies of coastal communities and their livelihoods will be hugely affected by the destruction of these areas.
On the way forward, The Chronicle believes that addressing the destruction of coastlines requires multi-faceted approach.
The government, local communities, and environmental organisations must collaborate to implement sustainable coastal management practices. Government should provide natural barriers that absorb wave energy. The government’s tree planting programme comes in handy and subsequent administrations must improve upon it.
Furthermore, policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions are critical to mitigating climate change and its effects on sea levels. Thankfully, reducing carbon emissions is part of the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals, targeting a 45% reduction from the 2010 level and subsequently zero percent by 2050.
We think that if there is public awareness and education in the affected areas, it should be intensified. But if they are not being done, then the authority should introduce public awareness and education, as they are also essential.
While at it, the authority should engage communities in conservation efforts, foster stewardship, and emphasise the importance of preserving coastal environments for future generations.
The Chronicle sees the destruction of coastlines as a pressing challenge that demands immediate attention. Immediate action is needed because protecting our coastlines is not just an environmental necessity; it is a national duty to safeguard our heritage, economies and ecosystems.
