The government has begun preparations for the mass evacuation of the long-standing waste heap at Jamestown in Accra, following a directive from President John Dramani Mahama to clear the area and prevent further accumulation.
Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, disclosed this during an inspection of the Adepa landfill site in the Eastern Region, which has been identified as a possible destination for the waste.
According to Mr Ayariga, the presidential directive covers not only the main waste heap at Jamestown but also refuse that has accumulated on the other side of the lagoon, where squatters have settled.
He said the decision followed a recent inspection of the Jamestown area, where the government assessed the scale of the sanitation challenge and the need for a coordinated intervention.
“For as long as I have lived in Accra, I have known that place and I have seen that heap grow year after year,” Mr Ayariga said, explaining the urgency behind the exercise.
Four ministries coordinate evacuation plan:
Mr Ayariga said he had engaged the Ministers for Roads and Highways, Kwame Governs Agbodza; Finance, Dr Cassiel Ato Forson; and Defence, Kenneth Gilbert Adjei, to develop a coordinated plan for the evacuation.
The Roads and Highways Ministry is expected to support the exercise with trucks and other equipment, while the Finance Ministry will support the financial requirements.
The Defence Ministry is also being brought into the operation, particularly to provide security at the cleared site.
The minister said the government’s immediate concern was finding a suitable landfill capable of receiving the large volume of waste to be removed from Jamestown.
Adepa landfill identified as disposal point:
Mr Ayariga explained that government subsequently engaged the Executive Chairman of the Jospong Group, Dr Joseph Siaw Agyepong, who indicated that the Adepa landfill was available for the exercise.
He therefore inspected the facility together with Colonel Asia, who was detailed by the Chief of the Defence Staff, Lieutenant General William Agyapong, to assess its suitability and capacity.
The inspection is expected to inform the logistical planning for the operation, including the number of trucks required, the number of trips to be made and the amount of fuel needed.
Government to determine volume of waste:
Mr Ayariga said a technical team from the Highways Directorate would visit Jamestown to estimate the volume of waste that needs to be removed.
He explained that determining the volume would allow the government to calculate the number of trucks required, while measuring the distance between Jamestown and the landfill would help determine the number of trips and fuel requirements.
The exercise could therefore become a major logistical operation, given the accumulated nature of the waste and the distance between the collection point in Accra and the proposed disposal site in the Eastern Region.
Military to secure cleared site:
Beyond the evacuation itself, the government plans to deploy the military to secure the cleared Jamestown site and prevent the area from becoming a dumping ground again.
Mr Ayariga said the security arrangement would also prevent squatters from returning to the cleared land and recreating the sanitation problems that have persisted for years.
He added that the Finance Minister has plans for the redevelopment of the area once the waste has been removed.
The government’s approach combines waste evacuation, site security and planned redevelopment, with the aim of addressing both the immediate sanitation crisis and the conditions that have allowed the waste heap to persist.
If successfully implemented, the exercise could significantly transform the Jamestown area while also creating an opportunity for government to reclaim and redevelop land currently affected by waste accumulation and informal settlement.
