The National Disaster Management Organisation (NADMO), in collaboration with the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, has commenced a demolition operation targeting unapproved constructions situated within the Kpeshie Lagoon corridor.
The enforcement action led to the removal of encroachments in the Teshie stretch of the lagoon, including the destruction of commercial stalls, mechanical sheds, and a religious facility, as part of measures to curb silt accumulation and recurrent flooding in Accra’s vulnerable low-lying zones.
As the exercise unfolded, residents hurriedly attempted to retrieve personal belongings, amid heightened tension. Some occupants alleged that the directive was issued on short notice, a claim authorities rejected, insisting that repeated warnings had been communicated since the beginning of January.
The operation also triggered resistance from a number of affected individuals, resulting in confrontations with enforcement officers and military personnel deployed to support the NADMO task force.
Defending the intervention, Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, stated that the action was necessary to safeguard public water bodies, stressing that similar exercises would be extended nationwide, notwithstanding the immediate difficulties faced by traders.
“We will not exercise leniency. Our objective is to preserve our lagoons, and this operation is not motivated by hostility toward citizens,” she remarked.
Madam Ocloo further explained:
“These activities often take place at night. The lagoons have almost been completely reclaimed, so when rainfall occurs, there is nowhere for the water to flow. This time, our message will be clear — we must ensure these water bodies are protected.”
She added that ample time had been granted to occupants, with the expectation that the illegal developments would have been addressed voluntarily.
“Unfortunately, that has not happened. This is why we are appealing to them. And this location will not be the final one we address,” she emphasised.
The Regional Minister disclosed that additional demolition exercises will soon be carried out in Sakumono and other affected areas, in partnership with NADMO.
She also recounted receiving disturbing footage showing individuals allegedly shooting a critically ill person who had approached them while they were filling the lagoon.
“They were armed. Their response is always gunfire. How long can this continue? We are focused on the broader public interest, not individual convenience,” she stated.
According to Madam Ocloo, owners of the demolished structures along the Kpeshie Lagoon had received multiple eviction notices, extending through to early January.
— DGN Online
