A month after President John Dramani Mahama’s visit to the coastal communities of Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina in the Ketu South Municipality, a concerned citizen, Joel Kofi Degue, has penned a second open letter urging immediate and concrete action to address the worsening impact of tidal waves and coastal erosion in the area.
In the letter dated April 6, 2025, Mr. Degue commended the President’s visit on March 6 as a timely show of leadership that brought hope to many affected residents. However, he expressed disappointment that none of the urgent interventions he previously outlined, such as the declaration of a state of emergency, evacuation and resettlement of displaced persons, protection of the Keta-Denu Littoral Road, and the commencement of the Blekusu Phase 2 coastal protection project, have seen practical implementation.
“Mr. President, before your visit on that day, I wrote an open letter to you. However, one month later, and to the best of my knowledge (I stand to be corrected), not a single one of the four urgent requests I presented has been actually acted upon in real practical terms,” he wrote.
Mr. Degue highlighted that the situation has worsened since the presidential visit, with further tidal wave attacks recorded between March 14–17 and March 27–31, displacing more families and destroying more homes.
He called for urgent intervention, stressing that the affected residents are not second-class citizens and deserve immediate relief and long-term solutions.
“This is not just a call for compassion, it is a call for responsibility,” he emphasized, urging President Mahama to use his influence to mobilize national and international support to respond to what he described as an unfolding environmental and humanitarian crisis.
“The people of Southern Volta, the entire nation, and indeed the whole world, are watching. The time to act is now or never,” he concluded.
In the weeks leading up to his letter, Degue also shared these same concerns with The High Street Journal, emphasizing the need for immediate and decisive action. In his interview, he reiterated that declaring a state of emergency is essential to facilitate the swift evacuation and resettlement of the affected residents. Without it, he warned, critical steps to protect lives and livelihoods remain delayed.
“Every day that passes without action brings Agavedzi closer to being lost to the sea. The sea isn’t waiting, and neither should we,” he cautioned. He further stressed that the issue goes beyond national borders and requires global attention. “This is not just a national issue. It’s a humanitarian and environmental disaster in the making. We need the global community to see what’s happening here and act.”
Degue also reflected on the emotional toll on the affected families, noting that while the people of Agavedzi have shown resilience, even their strength has limits. “The people here are not asking for charity. They are asking for fairness, for dignity, and for the protection every Ghanaian deserves.”
As the relentless waves continue to batter the coast, the people of Agavedzi remain hopeful, not just for promises, but for the tangible support and leadership they desperately need.
