Adipa residents tell gov’t to halt Agbogbloshie waste transfer

Residents of the Adipa/Asiaw Electoral Area in the Eastern Region have given government a seven-day ultimatum to halt the transfer of tonnes of waste from the Agbogbloshie enclave to the Adipa landfill site and engage them on the concerns surrounding the facility.

The residents have threatened to block all roads leading to the dumpsite if the authorities fail to respond to their demands within the stipulated period.

They say the indiscriminate disposal of waste at the site has left the community grappling with heaps of garbage, offensive odours and fears of groundwater contamination, particularly during periods of rainfall.

Addressing journalists on Monday, September 28, Assembly Member for the Adipa/Asiaw Electoral Area, Emmanuel Asamoah, demanded an independent environmental and health impact assessment on the dumping site.

He said the assessment should be followed by a comprehensive cleanup and decontamination of affected areas, with the responsible authorities bearing the cost.

The residents are also calling for permanent security barriers and other measures to prevent illegal dumping, as well as a public forum within seven days where municipal authorities will present a transparent, long-term waste management plan for the area.

“We are not against a fair, well-regulated waste management system, but we are against being treated as an afterthought, a convenient dumping ground for problems the capital does not want to face at all.

“If within the seven days, which starts from today, exactly one week from today, if we don’t hear any response from the government, responsible authorities, the operating company, we are going to block all roads leading to the dumping site.”

Meanwhile, Member of Parliament for Nsawam-Adoagyiri, Frank Annoh-Dompreh, has also questioned the decision to transport waste from Agbogbloshie to the Adipa landfill without what he described as adequate stakeholder consultation.

The Minority Chief Whip said the arrangement raises concerns about the community's right to a clean environment and questioned its consistency with the Sustainable Development Goal on waste management and transportation.