President Mahama Commissions Evacuation of One Million Tonnes of Waste from Agbogloshie
President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned the evacuation of one million tonnes of waste from Agbogloshie in Accra to the Adepa Engineered Landfill Site near Nsawam in the Eastern Region.
A drone Artificial Intelligence (AI) estimate and assessment of the garbage to be moved put the waste at one million tonnes.
The entire operation is expected to be completed within 90 days.
President Mahama commissioned the exercise on Friday, at Agbogloshie in Accra, where he outlined the scope and significance of the operation.
The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs is carrying out the initiative in collaboration with the Ghana Armed Forces and the District Road Improvement Project (DRIP), with funding support from the Ministry of Finance and the District Assemblies Common Fund.
In his address, President Mahama said the exercise marks an important step in the determination to restore order, improve sanitation and reclaim the city for the people who live and work in it.
He stated that government is putting its own capacity to work by deploying heavy equipment secured under the District Road Improvement Programme, including tipper trucks, excavators, bulldozers and wheel loaders to confront the longstanding national challenge.
He noted that the Ministry of Finance is providing the funding, with additional support from the District Assemblies Common Fund, while the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs is leading the exercise with operational and engineering support from the Ghana Armed Forces, particularly the 48 Engineers Regiment.
President Mahama stated that the objective of the exercise is to remove a longstanding public health hazard and create conditions for lasting improvements, adding that clearing the site would make way for the proposed Agbogloshie Urban Land Renewal Project.
President Mahama noted that the operation would end the open dumping and burning that had endangered lives and damaged the surrounding environment for far too long.
He said the evacuated waste would be transported to the Adepa Engineered Landfill for control, disposal, compaction and covering with appropriate environmental safeguards.
He said the entire operation from evacuation, excavation, loading, transportation and final disposal must be managed responsibly.
“We must protect the waste, the residents, road users and the communities along the haulage routes. And that is why we are suggesting that the major haulage must take place at night in accordance with our 24-Hour Economy Initiative.
“In the daytime, there will be some evacuation of garbage, but on a smaller scale, and then at night we go to full capacity,” he said.
To the people of Old Fadama and Agbogloshie, the President said the operation was being undertaken for their health, their dignity and their children’s future.
He asked the inhabitants to cooperate with the military personnel, the DRIP operators and assembly teams as they carried out the demanding work in the coming weeks.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
