World Bank grants $150m loan for Ghana’s West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme

Approximately 30,000 residents were displaced, and their farmlands were ravaged by the floodwaters.

At the 3rd Conference on Fisheries and Coastal Environment in Accra, Ms. Michelle Keane, the Operations Manager of the World Bank in Ghana, Liberia, and Sierra Leone, expressed deep empathy for the flood victims.

She stated, "We can’t speak about flooding today without conveying the World Bank’s sincere empathy and concern for the tens of thousands of people who have been impacted by the recent floods along the Volta River."

Ms. Keane further affirmed the World Bank's readiness to assist the government in responding to this crisis, emphasizing their long-term commitment to the region's sustainability and risk management. She noted, "In the longer term, developing a sustainability and risk management strategy for the Volta River and Volta Delta among other areas will be crucial to determine where it is safe for people to live and how their livelihoods can be sustained and grow along the Volta River supported by a healthy ecosystem."

The World Bank has made available $150 million to support Ghana under the West Africa Coastal Areas Management Programme (WACA). Ms. Keane expressed hope that the government and its partners would efficiently utilize these funds to aid the affected communities.

She also highlighted that the financial support would be accessible "very soon after parliamentary approval."

The flood disaster has brought into focus the importance of effectively managing water resources and disaster risk in the region. The World Bank's funding and commitment aim to not only provide immediate assistance to the flood victims but also to promote long-term resilience and sustainability along the Volta River and its delta.

This intervention is poised to support the affected communities in their path to recovery and to prevent future disasters of this magnitude.