Question

Difficulty: EasyInferential Comprehension and Deduction

Read the passage below carefully:

For generations, the coastal community of Keta in the Volta Region of Ghana relied on artisanal marine fishing as its economic backbone. However, relentless coastal erosion along the Bight of Benin threatened to submerge residential settlements and historical landmarks. In response, municipal authorities constructed a multi-million-dollar sea defense wall consisting of heavy granite boulders along the shoreline. The structural barrier successfully halted land loss and stabilized the coastline against destructive tidal waves. Nevertheless, oceanographers noted that the heavy barrier significantly altered localized hydrodynamics and longshore sediment transport. The changed current dynamics displaced delicate offshore mangrove nurseries and reduced fish concentrations near the shore. Consequently, local small-scale fishermen were forced to navigate much further into deep waters, requiring higher fuel expenditures that rendered daily fishing trips financially unviable for many. As traditional maritime livelihoods declined, an increasing number of young adults in Keta abandoned fishing to migrate to urban centers like Accra, seeking employment in petty trading and informal transportation services.

Evaluate the statement: Based on the passage, the construction of the sea defense wall indirectly caused demographic shifts in the community of Keta.

Answer: Answer

Answer

The statement is TRUE. The passage demonstrates that the sea defense wall led to ecological and economic disruption in fishing, which prompted young adults to migrate to urban areas.
The statement is correct because the passage details an implicit chain of events where the sea wall altered local currents, damaged fishing economics, and subsequently induced young residents to migrate to cities, resulting in a demographic change.

Step-by-Step Solution

1
Identify the primary environmental and economic impacts of the sea defense wall mentioned in the passage.
The sea wall altered water currents and reduced fish concentrations near the shoreline, making traditional fishing unviable.
Establishing the initial consequence of the wall shows how local livelihoods were affected.
2
Analyze the human reaction to the loss of fishing livelihoods.
Young adults abandoned traditional fishing and relocated to cities like Accra for alternative employment.
Relocating a specific age group out of the community constitutes a demographic shift.
3
Connect the initial cause (sea wall) to the ultimate outcome (youth migration).
The sea wall indirectly caused the movement of young adults via economic displacement.
Synthesizing the cause-and-effect chain confirms that the statement is logically supported by the passage.

Key Concept

Inferring indirect cause-and-effect relationships and socio-economic outcomes from textual evidence
Estimated Time:1m 0s
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