The existential threat to the Sakumono Lagoon has become more imminent than ever as a large section is being overwhelmed by indiscriminate dumping of refuse.

What began as a small dumping ground used by a few residents of Sakumono Village has rapidly transformed into a sprawling illegal landfill site, with commercial waste collectors, tricycle operators and some private waste management companies allegedly emptying truckloads of refuse into the wetland on a daily basis.

The relentless dumping has already buried large portions of the lagoon’s channel under mountains of waste, reclaiming acres of the protected ecosystem of the Ramsar Site, one of Ghana’s internationally protected wetlands.

The situation has raised fears of irreversible environmental damage, requiring urgent action from state authorities.

Huge refuse dump around the Sakumono Lagoon site Photo Victor A. Buxton

A visit by The Ghanaian Times to the area yesterday revealed a disturbing picture of the unfolding environmental crisis.

As of 6 a.m., when this reporter got to the scene, a number of tricycles loaded with refuse arrived in quick succession to offload their contents, while a few individuals also carted their household refuse to the site.

The consistent dumping of refuse has created towering heaps of garbage across sections of the wetland.

Some residents who spoke to The Ghanaian Times expressed concern over the situation, stating that, “If care is not taken, the mounting garbage will replace the once-thriving habitat for birds and other wildlife with a growing sea of waste.”

Mr Thomas Narh, a resident, said several complaints about the situation had failed to yield positive results.

According to him, the designation of portions of the lagoon as dumping grounds was done deliberately by some of the traditional leaders in the area.

“My brother, some of the chiefs here deliberately allow people to dump waste in sections of the lagoon and, after some time, they reclaim the filled portions, compact them with gravel and sell them to unsuspecting land buyers,” he said.

When contacted, the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) of the Tema West Municipal Assembly (TWMA), Mr Ludwig Teye Totimeh, said the situation had become a worrying concern for the assembly.

He said that despite warnings and directives for people to stop dumping refuse at the site, some people had remained adamant.

Mr Totimeh explained that there had been two evacuation exercises at the site since he assumed office as MCE, and expressed concern that people remained recalcitrant.

He said that, in line with the restoration plan for the entire Sakumono Ramsar Site, a comprehensive proposal had been submitted to the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC).

The MCE explained that the restoration plan included clearing all unauthorised structures astride the lagoon, desilting the lagoon basin and removing all dumpsites.

Apart from these, he said the plan would also include rezoning parts of the area to create a proper buffer for the lagoon, stressing that, “For us at the TWMA, the Ramsar Site is an important ecological resource which must be protected at all costs.”

Mr Totimeh called for the support of the public to facilitate the implementation of the new plan, which would permanently restore the lagoon.