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Volta Region is getting into the records for all sorts of reasons – political, poverty, traditional power contradictions and inability of opinion leaders, including religious and traditional leaders as well as the distinguished academic class to unite to bring development to the region.
The region, which optimally abounds in food security and tourism potential, is becoming a victim of natural disasters, including floods and declining food security targets.
More critically, it seeing its youthful population migrating since the last two decades to central business districts and sprawling residential areas in search of jobs that won’t come today or tomorrow.
So dire is the socio-economic situation that, for those in the fishing community, climate change is worsening their plight, without any hope that the situation would improve and their burdens lighten soonest.
Enhancing the Keta Defence Project
Over two decades ago, the JA Kufour administration, apprised of the saga of tidal waves driving out residents in some communities with threat to livelihoods, decided to construct a Sea Defence infrastructure.
While the project was largely successful, community indifference and poor maintenance combined with local politics to appropriate the gains in the project.
Over time, more and more residents would be evacuating the affected communities, again, with threats to livelihoods.
Not only homes and schools were affected, graves and shrines suffered the effects of the strong tidal waves, resulting in more and more residents forced to locate away from their sources of livelihood.
Akosombo Dam spill
Soonest, a spill at the Akosombo Dam would be adding to the woes of the region. Indeed, this time whole swathes of neighbourhoods would be affected, combining with surges in annual flooding to wreak havoc on communities.
Over the decades, flooding and tidal waves have therefore combined to create drudgery, poverty and political stress despite gains that governments make from the region.
Unfortunately, voices in terms of influence in the region appears not to have been loud enough for civil society to have a grasp of the level of distress confronting the region.
Tourism potential is massive with rolling hills and meandering streams as well as delectable mountains and caves, and greenery that is celestial.
The Inquirer recalls that during durbars, traditional rulers have called for investments in the region. Unfortunately, names that The Inquirer believe should lead this call relax and feast in Accra, salivating on cheap political popularity that brings little glory to the region.
Presidential trip
A few days ago, President John Dramani Mahama travelled to the Volta Region to assess the impact of recent tidal waves that have displaced residents and destroyed properties in several coastal communities.
His visit followed Ghana’s Independence Day celebrations on March 6 2025, where he reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to national development and resilience against environmental challenges.
From the Independence Day event, the President met affected residents, and inspected the level of damage, and pledged immediate and coordinated relief efforts, in supporting the community to overcome its woes.
The Inquirer’s civic call
It is the opinion of The Inquirer that the region holds a regional durbar that brings sons and daughters to consider an investment development plan that feeds into calls for job creation across all the regions.
It should be understood that government has its hands so full that satisfying communities and whole regions would be a gigantic task in the light of the economic woes facing the country and level of socio-economic intervention needed across the space.
This is the time for politicians, business community and the Diaspora community hailing from the region to show they love Volta Region.
