A call has been made for government to prioritize funding for the Keta Port Project and the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) Resilience Investment Project (ResIP II) in the 2026 national budget to accelerate economic growth and strengthen coastal protection efforts in the Volta Region, unlocking new growth opportunities along the country’s eastern coastline.
In a memorandum addressed to the Volta Regional Minister, Members of Parliament for Anloga, Keta, and Ketu South, and the Managing Director of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), Joel Degue of the Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Management (CNREM) urged that both projects be reflected in next year’s fiscal plan to accelerate implementation and attract investment to the Volta Region.
According to the submission, the Keta Port Project, a long-awaited maritime infrastructure initiative, should receive explicit financial allocation under the Ministry of Transport to transition from planning to construction. The proposal recommends that GPHA complete office facilities at Kedzi, establish a dedicated Keta Port Directorate, initiate land acquisition, and begin tender processes to engage investors and contractors for design and implementation.
Degue also proposed that the port’s full operational roadmap be finalized by January 2026, signaling government’s intent to advance the project as a strategic trade and logistics hub serving eastern Ghana and the wider Gulf of Guinea.
In addition, the memorandum calls for the inclusion of the WACA ResIP II in the 2026 budget under both the Ministry of Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation (MESTI) and the Ministry of Works and Housing. The program focuses on coastal resilience, shoreline protection, and community adaptation, addressing the growing threat of erosion and flooding to Ghana’s coastal settlements.
Degue appealed to the Volta Regional Minister and the area’s three coastal MPs to lobby the Ministry of Finance and the Parliamentary Budget Committee to secure funding for the two projects in the 2026 Appropriation Bill, and to follow up on implementation once approved.
He noted that prioritizing both initiatives would stimulate regional commerce, expand maritime infrastructure, and protect vulnerable communities.
“The inclusion of both Keta Port and WACA ResIP in the 2026 budget will be a concrete step toward revitalizing the coastal economy, enhancing resilience against climate impacts, and generating sustainable jobs in the Volta Region and beyond,” Degue stated.
If approved, the projects are expected to enhance Ghana’s competitiveness in maritime trade while reinforcing environmental sustainability.
