A researcher from the Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences at the University of Cape Coast, Fredrick Ekow Jonah, has indicated that attempts to combat erosion from tidal waves will yield results when people along the coast refrain from practices that encourage erosion.
According to him, activities like illegal mining, sand winning and felling of trees at the shore culminate in the destruction of communities by tidal waves.
[contextly_sidebar id=”zzjIM8nKebz9qcb3lw7oGQNGuWqg2M2i”]”I have done a bit of research into coastal erosion problems across the coast of Ghana and although the problem is varied across the country, one thing we realize is that everywhere we go, there is a bit of human activity being part of the natural problem being seen across our country’s coast.”
Nearly one hundred residents in the Ellembelle District of the Western Region were affected while scores were also affected at Fuveme in the Keta Municipality of the Volta Region.
Speaking on the Citi Breakfast Show, Mr. Jonah noted that human activity played its part in fueling the erosion brought on by tidal waves.
“With regards to the Elellmbelle, Keta and Ankobra, most of these erosion problems are driven by sand winning and mining activities along the coast and natural occurrences.”
According to Mr. Jonah, the lack of a strong coastal management plan also allows people to build too close to the coast making them susceptible to the effects of strong tidal erosion.
“What we’ve seen is that, we don’t have a strong coastal management plan on the coast so people can just move in there and construct their buildings. Mostly what you see is that, people build too close to the sea and when you build too close to the sea and when nature decides to act then we see what we are currently experiencing in those areas.”
The researcher conceded that nature would play its part but Ghanaians could play their part to manage the effects.
“You can’t really prevent nature from acting and you can only try to manage the impact or the effect nature could have on us. What it means is that, we as humans need to put in place strategies so that when nature decides to act, we will not be affected.”
Sea defense projects temporary solutions
More Jonah also stressed the need for more long term strategies rather than ad-hoc measures explaining that the current sea defense projects only served as temporary solutions.
“Sea defense, more or less, means you are hardening the coast and what it does is that, it only deflects the energy of the waves elsewhere… When we continue to harden our coast, when you continue to put in place sea defense measures, as in the engineering measures, you only deflect the energy and push the problem elsewhere.”
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By: Delali Adogla-Bessa/citifmonline.com/Ghana