Along the eastern coast of Ghana, where the Atlantic Ocean meets the land with relentless fury, lie four fishing communities caught in an agonizing battle for survival: Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina. These once-thriving coastal settlements in the Ketu South Municipality of the Volta Region are now symbols of despair, helplessness, and neglect. Day after day, week after week, wave after wave, the sea continues to gnaw away at the shoreline, consuming homes, ancestral lands, livelihoods, memories, and hope. The devastation is threefold: physical, economic and emotional, leaving behind not only ruins but scars too deep and too painful to heal without urgent and sustained intervention.
This is the story of the pains, pangs, and pleas of the people of Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina - a call to conscience for the government of Ghana, international development partners, and humanity at large.
Pains: Homes Washed Away, Lives Disrupted.
The most visible evidence of the coastal devastation is the skeletal remains of homes swallowed by the sea. Crumbled walls, exposed foundations, open graves, shattered roofs - they tell a harrowing tale of displacement and helplessness. For the residents of these coastal towns, the sea is no longer a friend that brings fish, beach sand and breeze, but an adversary that brings destruction, destitution, desolation, frustration and fear.
In Agavedzi, families who have lived on ancestral lands for generations have lost their homes within a matter of days. Many now sleep in the open air, makeshift tents and sheds, abandoned classrooms, and church buildings, while others have fled to neighbouring towns or putting with relatives in adjoining communities. What used to be the heart of a bustling fishing town has now become a danger zone marked by broken dreams by unsympathetic and treacherous tides.
Salakope and Amutsinu tell a similar story. On windy nights, the waves crash with terrifying force, sending torrents of salty water across compounds and alleys. The sea has breached the shoreline several times, making it impossible for children to attend school or for women to cook without fear of sudden floods. Whole families have been rendered homeless, helpless and hopeless, forced to move every time the tides shift. Many have no idea where to go next.
In Adina, the once-thriving salt industry is also under siege, albeit, in a minimal way. The pain of losing both home and livelihood is double-edged, cutting deep into the psyche and dignity of the affected population.
Pangs: Psychological, Economic, and Social Torment.
Beyond the physical damage lies a more insidious form of suffering: the pangs and anguish - those emotional, psychological, and economic aches that refuse to fade away easily.
There is the pang of displacement. To lose one’s home is to lose a part of oneself. The sense of place, of belonging, of familiarity, of affinity, of connectedness - all are uprooted within a short period of time. For the elderly, who watched their homes vanish under the waves, the loss is particularly heart-breaking. Some have passed away, not from drowning but from heartbreak, unable to bear the weight of dislocation and severance from where one’s umbilical chord was buried.
Then there is the pang of poverty. The sea has not only taken homes, but also boats, nets, and fishing gear. Livelihoods have been destroyed, and with them, the ability to earn a daily living. Many residents now survive on relief items, charity or loans they cannot repay. Children have dropped out of school because their parents can no longer afford basic needs. The youth are fleeing these communities in search of greener pastures, leaving behind a population that is aging and increasingly vulnerable.
There is also the pang of neglect. Many feel abandoned by the very state they helped build. Promises have been made - some by local authorities, others by national leaders - but little has been done. Visits by government officials often end in photo opportunities and speeches, but the sea keeps advancing. The people of Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina feel like voices crying in the wilderness, unheard and unseen by nobody.
Pleas: The Cry for Relocation, Resettlement, and Support.
Faced with mounting devastation, the communities have united around a common plea: Help us relocate and rebuild our lives on safer grounds as the first steps to solving the crisis.
Their demands are neither extravagant nor unreasonable. They are asking for what any citizen in a civilized nation should expect: protection, support, provision, humanity and dignity.
Relocation and Resettlement.
The most pressing need is the safe relocation of affected families. Temporary shelter is not a solution. These are not communities displaced for a season but for the foreseeable future. Government intervention must go beyond token gestures and provide a comprehensive, planned resettlement package. This includes:
- Acquisition and preparation of safe land for new settlements.
- Construction of durable housing units.
- Provision of social amenities such as schools, clinics, and potable water.
- Infrastructure to support local economic activity.
The affected populations do not want to be beggars or refugees in their own country. They want to rebuild - but they need a safe place to do so.
Alternative Livelihoods.
In addition to shelter, the people need means of earning a living. The sea that once fed them is now a threat. Therefore, there must be a deliberate effort to provide:
- Vocational training in alternative trades like carpentry, tailoring, agro-processing, or digital skills.
- Microcredit support for women and youth to start small businesses.
- Support for inland agriculture or aquaculture, especially for younger residents.
- Expansion of the local salt industry inland, away from vulnerable zones.
This is not charity nor humanitarian services, but an investment in people - in their resilience and productivity.
Coastal Protection Works.
While relocation is a priority, some communities may still remain in parts of the coastal zone. For them, the construction of sea defense walls is essential. Although segments of the Keta Sea Defense Project have been completed, much remains undone, especially from Agavedzi eastwards to Adina. There is an urgent need to:
- Continue and complete the sea defense from Blekusu to Aflao.
- Ensure proper engineering and environmental impact assessments.
- Employ local labor where feasible to create jobs during construction.
Without these protective measures, history will keep repeating itself, and the nation will continue to spend millions on emergency relief.
Political Will and Honest Dialogue.
The people are also pleading for honest, consistent dialogue with authorities. Decisions should not be made in Accra without consulting those who are suffering on the coast. There must be open channels of communication, regular stakeholder meetings, and clear timelines for intervention.
A National Tragedy in Slow Motion.
The coastal devastation in Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina is not just a local crisis - it is a national tragedy. It exposes the fragile relationship between people and their environment, and the inadequacy of our response systems. Ghana cannot claim to be progressing while entire communities are slipping into the sea, unnoticed and unaided.
It is time for action. Time for the President of the Republic, His Excellency John Dramini Mahama, and his government to rise to the occasion. Time for Parliament to pass laws that protect vulnerable communities. Time for NADMO to move beyond distributing relief items to building capacity and resilience. Time for international partners and NGOs to offer technical and financial assistance. Time for the media to keep this story alive. And time for every Ghanaian to show solidarity.
The people of Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu, and Adina have suffered enough. Their pains are deep, their pangs unending, and their pleas heart-breaking. Yet nobody seems to be hearing them. But they have not lost hope. Not at all. They still believe in the promise of Ghana - a country that leaves no one behind.
Let us answer their call.
Joel Degue, Environmental Activist.
[email protected] +233 24 2502638