Preliminary survey of the state of pollution of the coastal environment of Ghana

The physico-chemical state of estuaries, lagoons - open and closed - and beaches along the coast of Ghana was studied to provide base-line data for the monitoring of pollution. The main sources of pollution were identified as sewage of both industrial and domestic origin and oil in the form of tarballs. Of the 16 lagoons investigated, 12 were found polluted, 2 grossly polluted. The latter, the Korle and Chemu, serve as receptacles of industrial and domestic wastes. The estuaries were generally slightly polluted or "clean". Sewage pollution of beaches was usually associated with high population areas