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A team from Hydrological Environmental and Engineering Consulting Limited (HEE Consulting) has paid a courtesy call on the Awoamefia of Anlo Dukor in the Volta Region, Togbi Sri III, to dialogue on the development of the enclave.
The visit was also to present a funding proposal to the Awoamefia to officially indicate the firm’s expression of interest in investing in the coastal land reclamation and lagoon dredging projects in the Volta Region.
The project, which seeks to, among other things, reclaim miles of land from the sea, construct a sea defence wall to protect the reclaimed land, and dredge the Keta Lagoon and its tributaries of silt for enhanced water life, will cover a vast area of approximately 1,800-kilometre square.
It is expected to centre on the Keta Lagoon, while extending from Fuveme through Dzita, Woe, Keta, Kedzi, Blekusu to Aflao, along the Gulf of Guinea coastline.
The team of investors from the Republic of Togo and Benin, led by a businessman and Team Lead, HEE Consulting, Benito Baby Amorin, was made up of E.K. De-Souza, Bella-Samuel Davordzi (consultant), Abraham Victor Olympio, Caesar Fiawoo, Kordzo Ayitey Gaba, Homawoo Edem Koku Homawoo and Joshua Papavi Kwesivi.
The team presented an executive summary document on the project to the Anlo Dukor Council. It would be expected to visit all project sites from Fuveme to Aflao after which there would be community engagements for pre-project preparations.
Also present at the meeting were the Awadada, Togbi Agbeshie Awusu II; Rev. David Mensah Banini (Retd), a former MP for Anlo, Kofi Humado; Joel Degue, (a development and tourism expert); a Climate Change Advocate and Environmentalist, Dr Samuel Dotse, and Jonathan Azasu, among others, who are members of the Anlo Development Forum.
Mr Amorin said though the project's area of coverage looked vast, it would be very easy and possible if all stakeholders would embrace the idea and get on board, he gave an assurance of its economic benefits.
He explained that the main objective of the project was to help address the recurring humanitarian crisis in all three coastal districts of the region - Ketu South, Keta and Anloga, which suffered severe sea and inland erosion annually, resulting in economic hardship for residents.
He further stated that the project would employ dredging and land reclamation techniques to combat the effects of sea and lagoon inundation. “Combining humanitarian concerns with commercial opportunities, the project will aim at transforming the living conditions of thousands of inhabitants through engineering innovation and sustainable development practices.
“These interventions are designed to restore ecological balance, enhance livelihoods, and unlock the vast economic potential of the area through tourism, agriculture and industry,” Mr Amorin said.
The Awoamezitor of Anlo, Dan Abodakpi, in an interview, said they were ready and willing to welcome any project with the prospects of solving the major problem threatening the livelihood and existence of Volta's coast.
“For us, we are very interested in finding solutions to the problems affecting our people. So far as the terms of funding, feasibility, environmental, social impact assessments and other factors are transparent enough and favour us, we are committed to it,” he said.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for Anlo, Richard Kwame Sefe, pledged his support to the project, saying: “As a servant of the people, I and, I believe, my other colleague MPs from the area, promise to offer any form of political support needed from central government for this project to come off.
“Our people have been suffering for far too long,” Mr Sefe stated. — GNA
