Mahama Earmarks GH¢685m for WACA Coastal Protection, Pledges Livelihood Support for Vulnerable Groups

President John Dramani Mahama has announced a GH¢685 million allocation to commence coastal protection works under the West African Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project (WACA), signalling a renewed push to combat erosion along Ghana's Volta coastline.

Speaking at the 2026 Hogbetsotso Festival in Anloga on Saturday, November 7, President Mahama said the funding would support a combination of hard engineering and nature-based interventions. "I can answer you directly on this one and confirm that 685 million Ghana cedis has been allocated to commence coastal protection works under the West African Coastal Areas Resilience Investment Project, popularly known as WACA," he said.

The project will include the construction of breakwaters, groynes and revetments to protect coastal communities, alongside dune fixation through vegetation, beach replenishment and wetlands restoration. Other components will focus on rehabilitating lagoons and watersheds, as well as providing livelihood support to residents in beneficiary communities.

Focus on Youth, Women and Persons with Disabilities

President Mahama said the project would pay particular attention to young people, women and persons with disabilities to ensure they benefit from the economic opportunities it creates. Coastal households often lose income as well as shelter when the sea takes boats, landing sites and fishing grounds, making the livelihood component a critical part of the intervention.

Background: A Program Stalled and Revived

The WACA programme is a World Bank-supported initiative designed to strengthen coastal resilience across West Africa. In Ghana, the project targets the Volta Delta and Keta Lagoon through mangrove restoration, dune re-vegetation and protective infrastructure such as groynes.

The project had stalled in 2024 but resumed under the current administration. During a visit to Fuveme in April 2026, President Mahama explained that the project had reached the design stage, with procurement processes soon to follow. He had earlier indicated that WACA would extend protection from the end of the Blekusu project all the way to Aflao, describing Ghana's 550-kilometre coastline as "an asset under siege".

Blekusu Phase Two Also Funded

The WACA announcement came alongside news that GH¢250 million has been allocated in the 2027 Budget for the continuation and completion of the Blekusu Phase Two Coastal Protection Project, which covers an eight-kilometre stretch including Blekusu, Agavedzi, Salakope, Amutsinu and Adina in Ketu South. That project, being executed by Amandi Holdings Limited, includes 37 groynes, reinforced embankments, dune restoration, and a fish market with cold storage facilities.

Call for Environmental Stewardship

President Mahama urged traditional leaders and residents to support the protection of mangroves and wetlands, warning that their destruction weakens shorelines and increases vulnerability to erosion. "The unrestricted destruction of mangroves and coastal vegetation weakens our shoreline and leaves our coast vulnerable to erosion," he said.

The announcement was made in response to appeals from the Anlo traditional area, where coastal erosion has destroyed homes, displaced residents and threatened fishing livelihoods. The Paramount Chief of Anlo, Togbui Sri III, has repeatedly called for clear timelines on coastal protection commitments, warning that the community's patience should not be mistaken for complacency.