The Ada East District Assembly in Ghana's Greater Accra Region has acknowledged that yearly emergency interventions are insufficient to address the recurring tidal-wave devastation along its coastline. The assembly has called for a permanent engineering solution to protect vulnerable communities from sea erosion. Three communities, Azankpe, Kewunor, and Ayigboe, are among the most affected. The assembly's limited resources make it challenging to tackle the problem effectively.
District Chief Executive (DCE) for Ada East District, Kenneth Kabu Kanor, stated that the scale and cost of the problem exceed the assembly's financial capacity. He appeared before the Committee on Local Government and Decentralisation in Parliament on October 7, 2026, to discuss development challenges and financial infractions. The assembly had previously dredged the area but faced huge, unsustainable costs. Kanor mentioned that they are trying to raise funds this year to continue the dredging.
Azankpe is currently bearing the brunt of the tidal-wave problem, while Kewunor and Ayigboe received some relief through dredging under the assembly's internally generated funds. Kanor agreed that continuing to spend scarce assembly resources on temporary measures is not sustainable. The committee's Chairperson, Queenstar Pokua Sawyerr, noted that tidal waves constitute one of the district's biggest challenges and should not be treated as a temporary problem.
Kanor concurred, stating that a permanent solution is required. He explained that the financial burden required to curb tidal waves' impact exceeds the assembly's financial strength. The assembly's internally generated funds declined from GH¢2.9 million last year to about GH¢1.4 million as of September this year. Kanor attributed this decline to various factors and mentioned that the assembly is taking steps to improve revenue mobilisation.
The assembly is undertaking a valuation exercise to reassess property rates in Ada, which Kanor expects to significantly increase revenue mobilisation from next year. He stated that the current amount being paid is about one-tenth or 15 per cent of what is due. This exercise aims to enhance the assembly's revenue generation capabilities.
Kanor also discussed the salt industry, explaining that the assembly receives a limited share of revenue from activities within the salt-producing areas. This is because much of the project falls within the Ada West District. The assembly's revenue from salt mining mainly comes from business operating permits and other fees. Kanor mentioned that they normally collect about 15 per cent or sometimes lower.
A salt factory initiated as part of the One-District-One-Factory programme under the previous administration remains incomplete, with only the structures remaining. The assembly has not been able to establish the full details of the project due to a lack of documentation. The assembly is exploring the possibility of attracting a private investor to complete and operationalise the facility. This would help to utilise the existing structures and generate revenue for the district.
Key points
- - Ada East District Assembly seeks a permanent engineering solution to address tidal-wave devastation along its coastline. - The assembly's limited resources make it challenging to tackle the problem effectively. - A salt factory initiated under the One-District-One-Factory programme remains incomplete due to a lack of documentation.
