SEA TO SWALLOW OSU CASTLE, NKRUMAH MAUSOLEUM, INDEPENDENCE SQUARE

According to a new research undertaken by Prof Kwasi Appeaning Addo, Director of the University of Ghana's Institute for Environment and Sanitation Studies, Ghana could soon lose its key state monuments. The historic seat of government, Christiansborg Castle (formerly known as Osu Castle), the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum, and the Independence Square are all vulnerable to future coastal erosion if suitable steps are not adopted. He claims that between 2052 and 2062, the Christiansborg Castle will be eroded, the Kwame Nkrumah Mausoleum will be lost between 2152 and 2172, and the Independence Square would be swept between 2082 and 2112. Prof. Addo gave his debut lecture on Thursday, March 31, 2022, with the theme "The Continuous Struggle for Space—Coastal Erosion in Ghana." He voiced worry that a variety of human activities, such as beach sand mining, the construction of sea defense systems and buildings, and the construction of sediment-supply dams, were all contributing to the country's rapid coastline erosion. Although coastal erosion was not a new occurrence in Ghana, he said that the magnitude and severity with which it was occurring required immediate attention and action. Prof. Addo stated that the coastal zone is a vital natural place for all coastal towns and nations, noting that it "generates 56 percent of the West African region's gross domestic product (GDP)." According to him, the coastal zone is home to 31% of West Africa's population and is projected to continue to grow.