Gov’t secures 15km of coastline, intensifies flood control measures – Works Minister

The Minister for Works, Housing and Water Resources, Hon. Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, says government has made significant progress in coastal protection and flood mitigation as part of its broader infrastructure and climate resilience agenda.

Presenting the sector’s performance at the Presidency on Tuesday under the Government Accountability Series, the Minister said the Works sub-sector remains central to protecting lives, livelihoods and critical infrastructure amid rising climate threats.

“Ghana’s coastal belt continues to face significant threats due to rising sea levels resulting in flooding, shoreline erosion and community displacement. In response, my ministry has prioritised strategic coastal protection to safeguard lives, livelihoods and infrastructure,” he stated.

According to the Minister, government has completed major coastal defence projects at Komenda, Ningo-Prampram and Elmina, collectively securing approximately 15 kilometres of coastline. At Komenda, the project included a bridge and a modern fish market, improving connectivity and boosting economic activity in fishing communities.

He added that dredging works at the Ejale Lagoon in Ningo-Prampram have restored public access to the beachfront while protecting residential areas, while Phase Three of the Takoradi Sea Defence Project at Elmina has been successfully completed.

Several other projects are at advanced stages, including Dansoman Sea Defence (95%), Anomabu (81%), Cape Coast Phase One (80%), and Aboadze (75%). Phase Two of the Ablekusu Coastal Protection Project in Ketu South, launched following the devastating tidal waves of 2025, is currently 25 per cent complete, with calm already restored along the shoreline.

Flood control also featured prominently in the Minister’s address. He revealed that flooding remains one of the government’s top infrastructure priorities, prompting the establishment of a Presidential Task Force on Flooding to coordinate national interventions.

Under the National Flood Control Programme, about 1.76 kilometres of storm drains have been constructed nationwide, alongside extensive desilting and rehabilitation works. In Accra, performance-based dredging of the Odaw Channel under the GARID project has removed over 90,000 cubic metres of sediment, while drainage upgrades in Alogboshie, Akweteman and Nima are between 58 and 65 per cent complete.

To strengthen early warning systems, the Ministry has installed telemetry units along the Black and White Volta Rivers, as well as real-time monitoring equipment in Accra and the Lower Volta Basin.

“The government remains resolute in its commitment to sustainably address flooding through continued investment, enhanced institutional collaboration and community engagement,” the Minister assured.