Unique historical monuments of the 18th-19th centuries on the coast of Ghana are under serious threat of extinction. Ancient forts and castles built during the Age of Discovery are being destroyed by the rapidly rising sea levels and increasing coastal erosion, MIR 24 reports with reference to RFI.

According to the Ghana Institute for Environmental Studies, the country’s coastline is retreating by an average of two meters annually, and in some areas the rate of erosion reaches a catastrophic 17 meters per year. A striking example is Fort Prinzenstein in the Volta Region, built 240 years ago. Today, two-thirds of the structure is already under water, including eight out of ten underground chambers where African slaves were once kept.

An equally sad fate befell Fort Kongenstein in the Greater Accra Region – its stone walls have been completely destroyed by ocean waves. The almost 300-year-old Fort Fredensborg has also suffered serious damage.

The problem affects not only historical monuments – local residents are forced to leave their homes because of the advancing ocean. The Ghanaian authorities are trying to resist the destructive processes: with the support of the US Export-Import Bank, a $94 million project to strengthen the coastline is being implemented. At the same time, the World Bank is financing the restoration of coastal ecosystems in West Africa.

The forts and castles of Ghana, added to the UNESCO World Heritage List in 1979, were built between 1482 and 1786. These structures serve as important evidence of European-African relations during the colonial trade era and are in need of urgent conservation measures.