Blekusu Project: Coastal Communities to Get Modern Fish Market and Processing Hub

Coastal communities battered by years of tidal waves are set to receive a modern fish market, cold storage, processing facilities, and new transport and sanitation infrastructure, as President John Mahama breaks ground on the second phase of the Blekusu Coastal Protection Project.

The facilities, which form part of a broader economic and climate resilience intervention, are expected to directly boost local livelihoods in fishing hubs such as Blekusu, Agaveji, Salakope, Amutinu and Adina. The second phase of the project, covering 8 kilometers of sea defense works, will be executed between 2025 and 2029.

“In addition to the coastal protection works, we are incorporating community infrastructure that will boost the local livelihood of our people,” President John Dramani Mahama said during the groundbreaking ceremony. “This includes a modern fish market, cold storage and processing facilities for the fisher folk, fish drying and places for smoking fish, a car park and a lorry station. Public sanitation facilities will also be provided and a waste collection system will be put in place.”

The economic impact of coastal erosion in the region has been severe, with previous tidal waves in 2017 and 2021 destroying homes and disrupting local trade. Mahama described the new infrastructure as a turning point for communities that have been left vulnerable for too long.

“The sea has taken a lot from this community. It has taken land, it has taken property, it has taken livelihoods, and it has taken our peace of mind. But today I stand here to say, no more will the sea consume our people.”

The project, to be carried out by MSS Amandi Holdings Ltd., includes 37 groins, dune restoration, reinforced embankments and other shoreline defenses. The initiative is part of Ghana’s broader effort to tackle coastal erosion and enhance economic security in vulnerable regions.

“This is more than just a coastal protection work, it is a comprehensive resilience initiative, blending environmental protection with socio-economic infrastructure,” Mahama said.

He also called for active community involvement in protecting the project’s gains. “I urge everyone, especially the youth, to take ownership of this project by respecting the construction zones and timelines, by avoiding harmful activities such as illegal sand winning, by promoting environmental education and coastal stewardship.”

Mahama, further announced plans for a future initiative, the WAKA Project, awaiting approval from the Ministry of Environment. It will extend protective works from Adina to Aflao and include beach replenishment to expand economic activity zones along the shore.

“We are here to reclaim what has been lost, to rebuild stronger, to offer our children a future where they are not forced to flee their homes because of rising tidal waves,” he said. “This project and others like it reflect my government’s broader commitment to building a resilient and inclusive Ghana, where no citizen is left behind.”

He also revealed that Ghana has secured a grant from China to construct the Aflao New Market, which he said would further transform trade in the region. “We are going to build Aflao Ashigame,” he said.

Mahama urged all stakeholders, from local authorities to national agencies, to collaborate to deliver the project effectively. “Let us uphold the values of accountability, transparency and community engagement throughout the project implementation,” he said.

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