Tidal waves destroy more than 400 homes in Ada – NADMO
Tidal waves have destroyed more than 400 homes in the Ada West and East Districts of the Greater Accra Region, the National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO) has revealed.
Some of the communities included Lolonya, Agblabanya, Anyamam, Azizanya, Kpoji and Otlorkpe both in the West and East of Ada.
Speaking in an interview with the Ghana News Agency, Mr Jerry Narh, Deputy Director of NADMO for the Ada West District said preliminary assessment showed the destruction was massive.
“What we have gathered so far indicates that we are having 300 to 350 houses affected so far in Ada West. Then those who are displaced, most importantly, they are about 3,000 plus, and that is quite a huge number. So the devastation for us is quite serious and we are giving it all the serious attention that is needed,” he said.
Mr Narh noted that NADMO team was assessing the damage to the homes to ascertain which ones can be salvaged or temporarily restored to serve as shelters for the residents.
He, however, added that some residents had been given temporary shelter and safe havens at churches.
Mr Abel Apaflo, a resident of Foah in the Ada East District said that although the situation was worse other communities including Kpoji and the Otlorkper would also be hit.
Mr Dan Martey Teye, a resident of Akplabanya told GNA that the area was largely affected to the extent that residents had nothing to salvage adding that, property running into thousands of Ghana cedis have been destroyed.
He said this year’s waves affected many households and individuals, displacing many residents and destroying fishing tools, livestock, and other indispensable valuables.
He said even though the ravages of tidal waves were not new to the Ada coastal belts, the damage this year has been enormous, disrupting major economic activities, and affecting women, children, and other vulnerable people in these communities.
Mr Philip Tetteh Sai, the Assembly Member for Anyamam Electoral Area said thousands of the residents had been displaced and would remain outside for some days considering the distance the seawater had travelled in the two communities.
He noted that most buildings have collapsed which rendered most of the victims homeless hence what they could do to help the victims was to let them move to occupy the church buildings in the towns as an immediate solution awaiting intervention from donors or the government.
Mr Sai who is also the Presiding Member for the Ada West District Assembly said, “this happened for close to 25 years and called on the authorities to do something about it”.
Mr Christian Corletyey Otuteye, the Member of Parliament for the Sege Constituency reacting to the incident cautioned that if action were not taken at the earliest possible time, the effects of the waves would exceed what residents are currently experiencing.
“I visited the places upon receiving the news about the tidal waves ravaging the communities in my constituency, and I could say that this is a bad incident that has ever happened to the communities in terms of the wave,” he lamented.
Mr. Otuteye said, he would raise the issue on the floor of Parliament for the Minister responsible for Housing to answer questions about the status of the sea defence wall.
Source: GNA