👏Mahama Visits Flood-Hit Volta Communities, $150M Sea Defence Works to Begin Soon🔥

Added: 2026-05-07

[00:00:00]This sea defense is still very effective.

[00:00:02]I remember in 2013 when I visited here, this road was half eaten by the sea.

[00:00:14]And then the electric poles were just by the road.

[00:00:19]And the sea had fell some of the electric lines.

[00:00:28]They're also going to be groynes built into the sea to break the the currents, the strong waves, so that it'll come back to the coast in a very gentle manner. They'll also be planting of coconut trees on the beaches in order to stabilize the the soil.

[00:00:45]They would also help with planting of mangroves in the estuary to defend the land against the sea's encroachment.

[00:01:27]>> [music] >> John Dramani Mahama, my president, your president, our president.

[00:01:44]115 million dollars a project way when it comes to sea defense our uh tower >> [laughter] >> But the program is there.

[00:02:26]John Dramani Mahama my president, your president I've been feeling oh uh in the Volta region Now, wait. First, originally uh in 2016 in 2016 or you Then you get the only sea defense living.

[00:03:02]in the Volta region And the We are seeing the BRM also.

[00:03:17]John Dramani Mahama and the or and the security personnel I do make we are in the media trend.

[00:03:30]And the Um I'm proud to see that this sea defense is still very effective.

[00:04:10]I remember in 2013 when I visited here, this road was half eaten by the sea.

[00:04:21]And then the electric poles were just by the road.

[00:04:26]And the sea had fell some of the electric lines.

[00:04:31]So, the contractors had to reposition the electric cables over there and run a new line in that and then reconstruct the road and then do the sea defense.

[00:04:42]And today the sea defense is still looking very good.

[00:04:47]And the communities are thriving.

[00:04:50]We're doing Blekusu two.

[00:04:53]That's after Blekusu one.

[00:04:55]So, that will give sea protection all the way towards uh Ketu.

[00:05:01]And then the Waka project will take care of of the rest.

[00:05:06]This is all the result of climate change. The sea levels are rising and because of that, coastal communities are all affected. It means the government has to spend more money to try to protect the coastline.

[00:05:20]But this is a very good job. You can see many years after I left office. I think we finished it in 2016 or so.

[00:05:27]Many years after we left office, the sea defense still looking uh very good.

[00:05:38]John Dramani Mahama area here I've been speaking about uh Fulani in the Volta region a tower or no a sea defense I say a rose road network and a link it South town to another towns.

[00:05:57]I don't say the current say a special kitchen.

[00:06:03]One of the things that any president and BRM and to have a legacy program legacy program legacy issues are the way you are now.

[00:06:18]The BRM legacy oh and BRM as a president this is what you did and we thank you.

[00:06:30]And you sincerely he appreciate that.

[00:06:33]But I know you are in choir.

[00:06:36]John Dramani Mahama I say I appreciate you say South WAC project uh John Dramani Mahama all construction now when you say a BRM armor South underway to coastal processing work coastal processing work our Volta region and also a team of course so Um thank you for welcoming us this uh afternoon.

[00:07:10]Um we got information about what happened with the sea uh breaking through.

[00:07:17]And so today we decided to come and take a look at what is happening.

[00:07:23]All this area is part of a project area that is called Waka.

[00:07:30]And it's a World Bank project.

[00:07:33]Um we already have done some work ourselves.

[00:07:37]Earlier when I was president, we did the Keta Tokor sea defense, all that area.

[00:07:43]Before that, Rawlings' government had done the Keta sea defense. And then we also uh started did Blekusu one.

[00:07:53]And then Blekusu two is currently ongoing.

[00:07:56]The rest of the coast is supposed to be covered by the World Bank 150 million dollars Waka project. And that includes this area all the way to Ketu uh south and parts of Angloga.

[00:08:10]And so as the uh minister told you, um there's going to be sea defense and they're also going to be groynes built into the sea to break the the currents, the strong waves, so that it'll come back to the coast in a very gentle manner. They'll also be planting of coconut trees on the beaches in order to stabilize the the soil.

[00:08:33]They would also help with planting of mangroves in the estuary to defend the land against the sea's encroachment.

[00:08:42]The project stalled for a while um in 2024 mainly because of the elections. And that when we came, we continued it. And so I'm happy to announce that the feasibility study is finished.

[00:08:54]They are at the design stage. After the design stage, they'll do the procurement. That is the actual construction of the Waka project. And so I'm sure that very soon we'll try and speed it up. Very soon, you'll see that work will start on your coastal um um area.

[00:09:13]We tried to repurpose some of the World Bank projects.

[00:09:17]But as the minister said, we protected the 150 million that is meant for the Waka project. So, your money is safe and the project is going to go on. Some of the other World Bank projects stalled and the money is being repurposed for other important priorities. And so I just want to ask for your cooperation as we continue the processes to do the work. But in the meantime, we will contact VRA to see if they can do some dredging in the main estuary so that it eases the pressure on this side.

[00:09:51]Normally when the estuary is silted, then it looks for ways to join to the sea in other places. That is what is happening exactly here. But if we dredge it, it allows more water to flow out of the water into the sea. So, we'll take immediate measures to try and reduce the effect, but the long-term solution is the World Bank project which we're about to start. And so, let me thank you uh very much for your patience and your tolerance, and we look forward to your cooperation. Thank you very much.

[00:12:32]At the same time, sea protection >> [laughter] [gasps] >> Who told you that?

[00:13:29]You are expecting someone that you don't vote for to come and do it for you.

[00:14:00]uh as a taxpayer money taxpayer person who who taxpayer as a man who taxpayer as an individual Do you have the right to demand for what when the state announce it we should just shut up let them do what they whatever they want to do.

[00:14:33]I don't subscribe to that motivation they said.

[00:14:47]What about you?

[00:14:53]But I know came out. Now, you are thinking in the level I may thinking be a I really want to know.

[00:15:01]Why should we subscribe ourselves to that detriment of ridicule from different people that we have not pledged in our any support to them.

[00:15:22]Then the convention is one.

[00:15:25]I didn't care.

[00:15:26]Why?

[00:15:28]Why are we in this level or in this situation?

[00:15:43]But in 2016 for 8 years the MPP never tackle it. I didn't care.

[00:15:55]Like are we fighting among ourselves?

[00:16:02]And I don't remember So, why are we in this mess?

[00:16:12]Who is causing it?

[00:16:14]Who are they?

[00:16:16]What do they want to achieve?

[00:16:19]I'm confused.

[00:16:23]But in sharing ideas you probably end at that solution. So, tell me why. Tell me what you know. Tell me what you understand.

[00:16:34]When it comes to northernness, rotarians, and southernness the reason why this day or today there's the gap. There's someone who wants us to have a fight. Why?

[00:16:47]Tell me.

[00:16:57]When it comes to the this delicate issue our president is the voter region.

[00:17:02]But voter confusion I didn't care.

[00:17:13]Bye-bye.