Sea erosion drives away fishermen, destroys livelihoods – Traditional leader calls for action

Nii Adotei Kootse, the Gbegbe Mankralo, has warned of escalating sea erosion threatening Gbegbeyise, a community in the coastal area of ​​Dansoman.

Gbegbeyise, a densely populated coastal community in the Dansoman area of ​​Accra, faces an existential threat from sea erosion and environmental degradation.

In an exclusive interview with happyghana.com, Nii Kootse stated that sea levels are rising at an alarming rate of one meter every year.

He attributes this phenomenon to a combination of factors, including sand mining and improper waste disposal.

“The sea wall must be completed and sand mining must be stopped completely,” Nii Kootse emphasized. “This relentless cycle of sand loss is contributing to the sea’s invasion of our land.”

The Gbegbe Mankralo further lamented the devastating impact on the livelihood of the community, especially the fishing sector.

“Our fishermen have no choice but to leave,” he said. “The lack of landing sites and dwindling fish stocks make it impossible for them to operate here. They suffer losses and even risk their lives at sea.”

Nii Kootse points the finger at irresponsible waste management practices as another factor.

“Flooding of these small water bodies due to improper waste disposal is a significant problem,” he explains. “The waste collection system is letting us down. We will destroy our environment and ourselves if we don’t act now.”

The urgency of the situation is clear. Already grappling with the aftermath of the 2021 sea erosion that has ravaged coastal communities, Gbegbeyise faces an uncertain future unless immediate action is taken to address ongoing environmental threats.