The Paramount Chief of Anlo, Togbui Sri III, has urged President John Dramani Mahama to provide a clear timeline for long-delayed coastal protection and infrastructure projects in the Volta Region, warning that public support for the government should not be mistaken for complacency.
Speaking at the 2026 Hogbetsotso Festival in Agbogbo, the traditional ruler called for the accelerated deployment of funds under a $150 million World Bank-backed coastal resilience programme, the completion of the Blekusu Sea Defence Wall and progress on the proposed Keta Port.
“We have been peaceful, we have been patient and we have been supportive, but our cooperation must not be mistaken for complacency,” Togbui Sri III said. He called on the government to present a clear and achievable roadmap for the projects before the end of the year.
The chief said communities along the Anlo coastline had suffered repeated damage from tidal waves, with homes, livelihoods and cultural heritage at risk. He recalled Mahama’s visit to Poveme and surrounding communities about five months earlier, when the president had assured residents that funds under the West Africa Coastal Areas resilience facility had been ring-fenced for shoreline protection and beach reclamation.
“We are yet to hear from the government on this matter again,” he said, asking when the project would begin and urging authorities to ensure that allocated resources are deployed along the coast without further delay.
Togbui Sri III also called for the uninterrupted continuation and completion of the Blekusu Phase Two Sea Defence Project, alongside transparent timelines for the Keta Port project. He said the port had remained on paper for too long and that residents wanted to see physical construction begin.
The proposed port is among several projects the traditional ruler said could create economic opportunities in the area. He also urged the government to finalise the relocation of the Eastern Naval Base to Keta and establish a proposed University of the Blue Economy and Coastal Ecosystems to prepare young people for jobs in the maritime sector.
The chief called for the establishment of the Keta Lagoon Basin Authority, saying the body could help develop the lagoon’s resources and create employment, including in renewable-resource activities.
Beyond coastal and maritime infrastructure, Togbui Sri III pressed for government action on education, healthcare, agriculture and roads. His requests included accelerating the establishment of a School of Pharmacy at the University of Health and Allied Sciences in Keta, providing additional dormitory and classroom facilities for secondary schools, and upgrading Ohawu Agricultural College into a University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences.
He also called for greater support for rice farming and aquaculture, and urged the government to address poor road conditions that he said were restricting the movement of people and goods. Roads identified for attention included the Aflaingba Junction-Havegi, Abor-Atiavi and Alakle routes.
The traditional ruler acknowledged the government’s economic reset programme and ongoing infrastructure projects, including work on the Eastern Corridor Road. He said improved roads could reduce travel times, strengthen links between northern and southern Ghana and expand commercial opportunities.
He also recognised development projects in Anloga District funded through improved District Assemblies Common Fund allocations, including health facilities, classrooms and feeder roads, as well as the Anloga 24-hour market and road projects under the government’s Big Push agenda.
However, he said national economic recovery would only be meaningful to Anlo residents if it translated into visible improvements in their communities.
This year’s Hogbetsotso Festival was held under the theme “Anlo, Our Heritage and Our Values: Striving to Build One Ghana for a Better Tomorrow.” The celebration commemorates the Anlo people’s historic migration from Notsie, in present-day Togo.
