Despite several warnings by city authorities to deter landlords from building houses across the shores, the illegal activity has been increasing in Accra, especially over the last three months.
Sources at the beaches in the capital city have indicated that the close of last year and the beginning of 2010 saw more than 500 new houses being built across the seashore.
The suburbs of Gleffe, Shiabu and Pambros alone contributed about 350, while the remaining 150 or so stretch across Chorkor, Teshie-Nungua, Labadi, James Town and other coastal districts of Accra.
Residents say every week, at least, some 30 houses are washed away by tidal waves, putting fears in residents living in these areas.
The most recent tragedy, which has been described by residents as the most disturbing, took place at Gleffe, a suburb of Dansoman, where 26 houses were washed away by the sea last Wednesday morning. Property worth millions of Ghana cedis were also destroyed, apart from television sets and other personal effects.
Speaking to The Heritage about the disaster, Samuel Nartey, a victim, said a day before the disaster the sea came close to hitting the walls of their house, putting them in fears all night.
Mr Nartey added that, since there was no place for him and his family to sleep the following night, they had hardly any option than to remain in the same death trap. �I am not surprised that the sea destroyed our house the following morning, leaving none of our belongings ashore.�
The self-employed businessman added that most people had started vacating the place because of the constant washing away of property by the sea, hoping his business would flourish better to enable him relocate elsewhere.
Mrs. Rose Ashitey, a landlord at the area, said �it is difficult to leave a place where you were born for a different environment; that is why some of us are still leaving here.�
She added that there are no lands even to build on these days; �we have no option than to risk our lives.�
When The Heritage got to the scene of the disaster, some residents had already gathered their few items left, with others negotiating passionately with other residents to pass the following days with them.
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