General News of Thursday, 29 July 2021
Source: gbcghanaonline.com
2021-07-29
Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey, MP, Keta
Government has planned to dredge the Keta Lagoon Complex to prevent annual floods to protect lives and properties in adjourning communities.
The government has identified that the persistent inflow of sediments and other debris from River Aka and Tordzi, and the Belikpa stream into the Keta lagoon are the major causes of the flood.
The Minister who disclosed this, on the floor of Parliament on Thursday, 29th July, 2021 in responding to a Parliamentary question from MP for Keta Kwame Dzudzorli Gakpey said, “these major transfer and deposition of sediments into the lagoon, are reducing its capacity to hold storm water and consequently causing major flooding of communities in the environs of the lagoon”.
This, he acknowledged “leads to unfortunate loss of lives, livelihoods and properties.
Notably, this phenomenon impacts negatively on the economic and social lives of the people”.
The Works and Housing Minister, Asenso Boakye said his Ministry is “conscious of the urgent need for mitigation works to tackle this challenge”.
According to him the dredging of the Keta lagoon was proposed as an important intervention that would make a significant difference to the lives of the people in the community.
The Ministry will, therefore, “commence engagement with relevant stakeholders and make the case for funding to the Ministry of Finance to undertake dredging and other activities that will enhance the safety and protection of the communities in the environs of the Keta Lagoon”, he noted.
He assured the MP that his Ministry will provide updates on the progress they make in this effort.
The Background
The Keta Lagoon is part of the Volta estuary comprising a Complex array of lagoons and several islands. The Keta Lagoon complex is a designated Ramsar site and it is about one hundred and thirty kilometres (130km) in length.
The lagoon is surrounded by many settlements and towns, which include Anloga, Woe, Keta and Kedzi to the south; Anyako and Anlo Afiadenyigba to the north; Kedzi, Alakple and Tregui to the west; and Denu and Adina to the east. The lagoon and its environs host major settlements, fishing activities, salt production and farming.