NADMO officials tour tidal waves disaster communities

The Hydro and Disaster Management Committee of the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) on Monday toured the communities affected by the recent tidal waves in the Keta Municipality.

The visit by the NADMO officials to the disaster areas in the Keta Municipality was to carry out impact assessment of the effects of the tidal waves on the communities.

Some of the communities visited by the team include Dzita, Atorkor, Whuti-Srogbe, Adzido, Horvi and Blekusu.

Mr. John Lloyd Sackey, Team Leader of the NADMO Technical Committee said the tour afforded them the opportunity to see at first hand the extent of damage caused by the recent tidal waves and measures to be put in place to address the problem.

He charged the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) and the Municipal NADMO Co-coordinator to ensure that people stop winning sand at the shore.

He said there is little government can do to check the annual tidal waves if the people continue to disregard bye-laws and go ahead with sand winning activities at the shore.

Mr. Sackey said in the long term, government would have to look for funds to continue with the sea defense project to cover the rest of the shoreline.

Mr. Sylvester Tornyeavah, MCE for Keta said tidal waves started about two weeks ago and had flooded most houses, causing damage to properties.

He said most of the victims of the tidal waves are putting up their relatives who were not affected.

He said the annual tidal waves affect the economic life of the people.

Mr. Tornyeavah said the Municipal Assembly is currently educating the people on the effects of sand winning on their communities.

He said the Municipal Assembly has bye-laws to check the activities of sand winners along the shoreline but the laws are not being enforced.

Mr. Alex Atakpa, Municipal NADMO Co-ordinator, briefing the group on the situation, said a total of 1,339 people were affected by the recent tidal waves.

He said 321 people were affected in Dzita, 255 in Atorkor, 129 in Whuti-Srogbe Adzido-84 and Horvi and Blekusu-550.

Mr. Atakpa said the situation at Horvi was different because 52 houses, which were near the shore, were all washed away by the ravages of the sea.

He said the effects of the waves this year was severe due to increased sand winning at the beaches.

He said NADMO has distributed cooking oil, maize, blankets, buckets and rice, among other items to the affected victims.