The Awoamefia of Anlo, His Royal Majesty Torgbui Sri III, has appealed to the government and the World Bank to fast-track the West Africa Coastal Areas (WACA) project to save lives and livelihoods along Ghana’s coast.
Homes swallowed by the sea, families displaced, and livelihoods destroyed have become a common sight in Anlo, Keta, and nearby communities.
Speaking at the 2025 Hogbetsotso Festival, Torgbui Sri III said the $150 million World Bank-funded project must be implemented without delay to protect communities facing the threat of coastal erosion.
“It has been almost three years since the World Bank announced its approval of the WACA project, yet our people continue to suffer. Only a few stakeholder meetings have taken place—meanwhile, families keep losing their homes and their livelihoods to the sea,” Torgbui Sri III said.
The Awoamefia commended the government for securing the project but lamented the prolonged delay in rolling it out. He said while Ghana’s coastal communities remain at the mercy of rising tides, neighboring Togo and Benin have already transformed their coastlines through the same WACA initiative.
“We have seen the difference WACA has made in Togo and Benin. They used to face the same devastation we do, but today their people live in safety and dignity. Why not here?” he added.
According to Torgbui Sri III, the slow pace of implementation is deepening human suffering across the Anlo State and beyond. In villages such as Fuveme, Agbledomi, Keta, and Dzita, families are forced to relocate every rainy season, children study in flooded classrooms, and fishermen have watched their landing beaches disappear beneath the water.
“Each new tide takes away another home, another dream,” he said solemnly. “This is no longer just about erosion—it’s about human survival.”
The Awoamefia announced his intention to travel to Accra personally to meet with government authorities and World Bank officials to seek clarity on the delay and to advocate for immediate action.
“One hundred and fifty million dollars is a substantial investment,” he stressed. “If implemented with urgency and transparency, it will save lives, restore livelihoods, and give hope to thousands of coastal families who have endured years of suffering.”
Residents echoed the Awomefia’s concern, describing how the sea has crept dangerously close to their doorsteps. Many have been displaced multiple times, surviving through fishing in risky waters or migrating inland in search of work.
Resident of Blekusu, Daavi Adzo, told reporters that “every time we rebuild, the water comes again. We just need help. We cannot fight the sea alone.”
Environmental experts agree that the WACA project—which integrates coastal protection, mangrove restoration, and sustainable livelihood programs—could be transformative if executed promptly.
A Cry for Partnership, Not Politics
Torgbui Sri III’s message carried a tone of urgency but also cooperation. He emphasized that protecting Ghana’s coast should transcend politics and bureaucracy.
“The sea does not know politics,” he said. “Climate change affects us all—fishermen, traders, farmers, and schoolchildren. Let us act now, together, before the sea claims what little we have left.”
A Call That Echoes Beyond Anlo
As the drums of the Hogbetsotso Festival faded into the night and the lagoon breeze swept across the durbar grounds, the Awomefia’s words lingered—a royal plea rooted in compassion and foresight.
For the people of Anlo, the issue is not abstract policy; it is the difference between rebuilding and retreating, between heritage preserved and heritage lost to the sea.
Torgbui Sri III’s call now stands as both a warning and a wish that Ghana will match words with action and that the tide of neglect will finally turn toward hope.
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“When we protect the coast,” said Torgbui Sri III, “we protect our people, our history, and our future.”
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