The Impact of Tidal Waves on Coastal Communities and the Resilient Strategies of People Around Keta and Anloga Communities in Ghana

Purpose: In Ghana, efforts have been made by successive governments to reduce the impact of sea-level rise through the construction of sea defence walls in some susceptible coastal communities, however, there is still the need for more comprehensive and sustainable adaptation strategies that will increase the resilience and the collective well-being of residents living in these coastal communities. This paper seeks to address this need by examining the impacts of sea level rise on residents in the Keta and Anloga coastal areas and exploring indigenous sustainable adaptation strategies that ensure the long-term well-being of residents and their livelihoods. Design/Methodology/Approach: The study adopted a mixed-methods approach by combining survey data, key informant interviews, observation, and focus group discussions. Through multiphase sampling, a sample of 192 residents living in 12 communities where tidal waves have been causing havoc in the Keta and Anloga District Assemblies were selected for the study. Questionnaires were administered to these 192 respondents. Focus Group Discussions (FGDs) were also held in 2 communities where coastal defence structures were constructed. They are Keta and Atorkor. These people are deemed to be able to inform the study of the impact of tidal waves and efforts being made to ameliorate the impacts. Findings: The findings revealed that sea level rise has destroyed livelihoods, disrupted social lives, and damaged buildings and other critical infrastructure. The study suggests among other strategies diversification of livelihoods, resilience-based infrastructure, and continuous engagement with the community, all within an integrative and responsive planning strategy. Research Limitation/Implications: This research focused on people living within communities that have been impacted by sea level rise in only the Keta and Anloga areas of Ghana instead of the whole coastal communities of Ghana. It thus has the limitation of not being generalized to Ghana but to the study area only. Practical implication: This paper has potential implications for our understanding of traditional practices of adapting to sea erosion in Ghana and other developing countries, and the reasons why people are refusing to leave flood-prone communities. Social Implication: This study will assist development policy-makers, international financial institutions and grant givers on how to address sea level rise by using local and traditional methods for sustainability. Originality/Value: This study is among the few to point out that, constructing sea defence walls should be made more sustainable in Ghana.