Ghana's Minority Chief Whip and Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has called on the government to address concerns raised by residents of the Yaw Adipa/Asiyaw Electoral Area. The concerns are over the transportation of waste from Accra to the community and its disposal there. Annoh-Dompreh questioned the basis for selecting the area and demanded clarity from the government on the factors that informed the decision. He emphasized that the affected communities, traditional authorities, the Municipal Assembly, Assembly Members, and other relevant stakeholders should have been engaged before the exercise commenced.
Annoh-Dompreh had earlier called for the suspension of the exercise until meaningful consultations were held with affected communities. He said residents had complained about foul odours, flies, and other conditions associated with the increased volume of waste being brought into the area. Residents also expressed concerns about possible contamination of water sources. Annoh-Dompreh stated that there was no engagement with the chiefs, people, local Assembly, Assembly Members, or other stakeholders in the area.
The Assembly Member for the Yaw-Adipa Electoral Area, Emmanuel Asamoah, outlined concerns presented by residents at a media conference. He said the community had previously received waste, but the recent transportation of large quantities of refuse from Accra had significantly increased the pressure on the area. Asamoah alleged that residents were being exposed to uncovered waste, unpleasant odours, flies, rodents, and other environmental challenges.
Asamoah also raised concerns about runoff from the waste sites during rainfall, saying residents feared that this could affect drainage systems and potentially contaminate groundwater. These concerns were presented by the Assembly Member and residents but have not been independently established through a published environmental or public-health assessment. The community is taking steps to address the situation.
The community has presented five key demands to the authorities. They are calling for the immediate suspension of waste-dumping activities at the site and an independent environmental and health impact assessment of the areas being used for waste disposal. Residents are also demanding a comprehensive cleanup and decontamination exercise in affected areas.
The community wants the cost of the cleanup and decontamination exercise to be borne by the responsible parties and relevant authorities. They further want permanent security barriers and surveillance systems installed around the dumping sites to prevent unauthorized access and ensure safety. The government has not yet responded to the demands.
Annoh-Dompreh's call for answers and the community's demands highlight the need for effective waste management and stakeholder engagement in Ghana. The situation in Adipa underscores the importance of balancing development needs with environmental and public-health concerns. Residents are awaiting a response from the authorities.
Key points
- Annoh-Dompreh demands clarity on government's decision to transport waste from Accra to Adipa.
- Residents present five key demands to address waste concerns.
- Community calls for independent environmental and health impact assessment.
