Former Anlo Constituency Member of Parliament (MP), Hon. Clement Kofi Humado, has expressed his strong approval of the parliamentary decision to summon the Volta River Authority (VRA) to provide a long-overdue explanation for its inaction on dredging the Volta estuary, a critical issue affecting the region.
Hon. Isaac Asiamah, Chairman of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Works and Housing, announced that the committee will summon the Volta River Authority (VRA), this week, to provide an clarification for its persistent neglect of dredging the Lower Volta Basin, specifically the estuary at Ada, which has been left unattended for years.
Mr. Asiamah made this known after he recently led the Committee to tour communities in the Volta Region’s three coastal districts of Ketu South, Keta, and Anlo suffering the impacts of coastal flooding.
The visit exposed a shocking eight-year lapse in VRA’s dredging of the estuary, resulting in severe siltation. This negligence exacerbated the devastating flooding along the eastern estuarine shoreline and coastline during the recent Akosombo and Kpong dam spillage.
This development comes in response to the Speaker of Parliament’s directive, prompted by repeated pleas from MPs representing the affected areas, who have been urging the government to take swift action to protect the coastline and mitigate the devastating effects of coastal erosion and flooding.
As such, Hon. Humado praised the decision to bring VRA before Parliament, citing the authority’s neglect of estuary dredging as a prime example of its harmful inaction. He commended the move, stressing the need for accountability and action to address the severe flooding consequences.
“I wish I could retrieve copies of letters that I wrote severally to VRA on this subject for their neglect of duty over the past six or more years at the Volta estuary at Ada and Anyanui. This was the major cause of the flooding when VRA opened the spillways at Akosombo and Kpong last year.
Hon. Clement Kofi Humado
VRA To Account For Missing Dredger Vessel
Furthermore, Hon. Humado also called on VRA to account for the whereabouts of its dredger vessel, which has been missing in action, worsening the flooding crisis.
The former MP revealed that the dredger vessel has allegedly been sold to a businessman for private use, sparking concerns about VRA’s decision to divest from critical infrastructure and its obligations to the public.
Moreover, Hon. Humado added that the estuary’s blockage has caused a knock-on effect, halting the weekly ferry service to Anyanui Market, which has significant economic implications for local traders and residents who depend on this essential connection.
“The ferry used to bring traders and their wares every Wednesday from Ada (in Ada East) to the bustling Anyanui Market. This has resulted in poor trade between Anloga, South Tongu, and Ada East and adversely affected the volume of revenues from market tolls by the Anloga District Assembly. I therefore encourage the MPs to push this matter in Parliament”.
Hon. Clement Kofi Humado
Former MP, Hon. Clement Humado, who worked with fellow citizens and the Ghana Hydrological Authority to drain the flooded Keta Lagoon by breaching the sandbar last year, expressed his excitement about the impending coastal projects.
His collaborative efforts, along with those of Mr. Rex Godson Edeckor, Mr. Paul Kwami Sewor, Mr. Dennis Kulekey, and Mr. Francis Nyonyo, the Council of State member, had brought significant relief to the area, and he looks forward to the new initiatives.
As such, Humado recommended a joint committee to coordinate the three coastal projects – Ketu South Sea Defense Phase II, Keta Port, and WACA ResIP 2 – to prevent duplication and ensure a unified approach among the three state agencies involved, promoting efficient resource allocation and maximizing benefits for the Aflao-Anyanui coastline.
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